


Friends With the Monster

by Shenandoah76209



Category: Firefly, Pitch Black (2000), Serenity (2005), The Chronicles of Riddick Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:13:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 72,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23653642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shenandoah76209/pseuds/Shenandoah76209
Summary: Monsters under the bed weren't real.  But hers was.  Or was he?  Hard to tell.  Following premonitions and Feelings around the 'verse for purposes unknown lead her to right where she should be.  River meets Riddick under fairly unusual circumstances.  What in the gorram 'verse are Furyans?  And why are they called Spirit Warriors?
Relationships: Richard B. Riddick/River Tam
Comments: 88
Kudos: 133
Collections: Wasn't Quite Expecting This (But I Loved It)





	1. Prologue

She knew Simon thought she was crazy. She couldn’t blame him really. She saw things that weren’t there. People in the infirmary that were dying or recovering, not members of the crew. She saw the cargo bay, doubled in size with a second level of grating nine feet above the cargo deck, filled with wounded and the walls hung with IV hooks as if _Serenity_ was still a medical ship. The passenger quarters occupied by nurses and doctors.

She saw Mal in places that he wasn’t, talking to people who weren’t there anymore, bargaining, complaining or giving orders. Zoë was shaking her head at a mustached Wash. A cocky man with tattoos in the engine room. A behemoth of a man with a mustache and beard, Mal slung over his shoulder, both of them drunk as lords.

The shadows were alive in the corners of her room, under the catwalks and in the halls, murmuring with the voices of a million souls across the ‘Verse. They filled her head with demands, wails, joys, sorrows, rage and worst of all, nothingness. She hated when they screamed with their silence. Nothing was worse, not even the continuous rage of Reavers.

Simon thought turning on the light in her room so she could sleep under its bright warmth would help her. That just made the shadows harder to see. The voices didn’t stop, they simply came from nowhere.

The shadow under her bunk weren’t the same as the ones in the corners or the hall. The voice was more singular, and easier to understand. Though she couldn’t be any more certain that it was real.

* * *

“River, who were you talking to?” Simon’s worried face stared down at her as he slid open her door.

She looked up from her seat on the floor, wondering how he couldn’t see glowing eyes like a cat’s reflective irises in the shadows beneath her bunk. “She is making friends,” She told him solemnly.

“Friends with who?” Now his worry increased tenfold, orange and green tentacles reaching their sticky tendrils towards her.

“She is making friends with the monster under the bed.” River gave the ‘monster’s’ eyes an apologetic look and got a wave of amusement in return. She could feel he didn’t mind such a soubriquet, found it appropriate and humorous both.

“I…see…”

But he didn’t, not really. She might not be able to get along with all the voices, but the monster was easier than they were. Her monster always made sense. The voices didn’t. Not enough to apply logic to their existence. “If we shadows have offended…” She murmured and her monster gave her a grin.

* * *

The monster wasn’t always there when she looked. He’d be there for months at a time and then gone for weeks before reappearing. At least she believed him to be male. His voice sounded like a man’s, deep and almost rough, but she supposed monsters could have different genders than humans.

“What’re you doing when you’re not talking to me little girl?” He asked her once.

“Draw, dance, explore _Serenity_ and try to avoid the infirmary. Do my best to not be creepifying.” She shrugged, untying her laces and weaving them through the eyelets differently. “What do you do when you’re not talking to me.”

“Run mostly,” He’d sounded amused, but he often did, as if life was a perpetual game. Maybe to him it was. “Kill folks occasionally. Sometimes fly. Deal with monsters.” Curiosity lightened his voice, “What’s creepifying?”

She guessed he was asking what she tried to avoid rather than a definition of the word, “Try not to make remarks that are morbid. Observations on how quickly the human body can be drained of blood given adequate vacuum systems is creepifying. Staring at the Captain when he drinks coffee is discouraged. Watching the man with a girl’s name improve his muscles is something he finds creepifying. He does not like the girl much.”

“Why’s that?”

“Thinks the girl is dangerous,” River shrugged. “He is not wrong. Fugitive.”

“Yeah?” His amusement was plain. “That ain’t so dangerous. Little thing like you.” Despite his humor she hadn’t found his comment condescending, more like he was teasing her, inviting her to show off how dangerous she could be.

“She is dangerous in other ways,” River had told him. But there had been no reply.

* * *

It was almost a month later before she saw him again. Sadly, she wasn’t having a very good day. Simon had caught her watching the ghosts of _Serenity’s_ past and dosed her. So, she concentrated on her monster much less than usual.

“She doesn’t want to see anymore,” Her eyes wouldn’t even focus properly. “Stick needles in my gorram eyes and show me off like a doll. Old men covered in blood but it never touches them. _Tiě shí xīn cháng_. The blue will take over and we will all burn. They fly without containment, too close to the sun but their wings don’t melt and all they do is scream. Hubris brought Icarus down but it isn’t their pride that gave them the wings, pride of old men. Covered with blood. Distant and Blue and uncaring. _Tòng bù yù shēng._ ”

“So, don’t look,” The suggestion was practical. “Talk to me instead.”

“Her thoughts fly, ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, but the Highwayman is shot down like a dog and cannot rescue her from the monsters,” River told him seriously. “She could plait a love knot into her hair but only tragedy lies down the ribbon of moonlight. Broken hearts cannot be mended. No one to stymie the Redcoats. They come marching. Look to hear the tromp of their boots any moment. He doesn’t have straw hair, but blue eyes are greedy.”

“Tell me the story,” Her monster commanded mildly. “Tell me the whole thing, beginning to end. Focus on that. Don’t worry about anything else.”

“The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,” River began obediently. “The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, the road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor, and the highwayman came riding- riding-riding- the highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door…”

* * *

River stopped in the middle of their conversation and tilted her head, lowering her voice, “Simon is restless.” She told the monster. “He does not see what she does. Thinks her mad for talking to the monster under the bed. Making friends with him.”

“Well there’s lots of folks don’t think I’m exactly sane,” He’d chuckled, low and dark a wicked sound that simultaneously reassured and set her nerves and skin prickling with sensation.

“She is given medications to help solve a problem that only exists in Simon’s mind,” River told him. “Thinks she has a mental problem.”

“You ain’t the only one,” He told her. “Why don’t you just not take the drugs if you don’t like them?”

“Under observation at all times,” She said glumly. “Kindly meant but stifling.”

“So? Stop hidin’ and do what you gotta,” He advised. “Can’t hide what you are. Can’t change what happened. Just gotta work with it. You wouldn’t be the only one dealt a bad hand. We all adapt or we die. You’re too stubborn to die, so you’ll adapt. Put your brain to work on that for a bit. You can always talk it out with me.”

She considered that for a moment, “I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad when I have cause and smile at no man's jests, eat when I have stomach and wait for no man's leisure, sleep when I am drowsy and tend on no man's business, laugh when I am merry and claw no man in his humour.”

* * *

“Everybody lies,” She told him after he’d disappeared for three weeks. “Even when they don’t mean to. Say fine when they are not. Say good when they don’t mean it. Say it’s for the best when that is only opinion. Based truths in faith when faith is not certain and the book has anomalies. There are no believers in carnal houses.”

“Yeah,” He’d agreed. “Truth is the rarest thing in the ‘verse.”

“She doesn’t like lies,” River gave him an understatement. “They hurt her head. Make her confused when thoughts and words don’t align. As I am an honest Puck and if we have unearned luck, we will make amends ere long. And no one ever believed Cassandra.” Her monster never minded when her words would go on a tangent that had nothing to do with the conversation at hand.

“Yeah, lies smell bad to me, part of why I don’t much like people.” He told her with what sounded like a smile. “Maybe don’t pay attention to what they’re saying?”

“React to thoughts and not words and they are uneasy and she is creepifying. Thoughts and words collide and create chaos when she hears both. Contradictions upon contradictions,” She sighed. “She has not felt lies from him. Likes that.”

* * *

After Miranda she’d gone back to her bunk to look for her monster. He hadn’t been there, not during the entire duration of the repairs to _Serenity_. Not when they began to sail the Black again. After five months she stopped looking. She didn’t want to believe the friend she’d made was merely a symptom of her fractured mind. He’d been so real. More solid than the ghosts she still saw around _Serenity_.

But when he didn’t return she had to accept that he was either gone for good or he’d never been there to begin with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This is an experiment; I wanted to write something entirely from River’s point of view. I’ve done my best to mix some of the Riddick-verse in with the Firefly-verse. The story began as something inspired by Eminem’s song by the same name. I also experimented a little with the nature of Furyans as spirit warriors and the influence of the animal side.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> Tiě shí xīn cháng (to have a heart of stone / hard-hearted / unfeeling)
> 
> Tòng bù yù shēng (to be so in pain as to not want to live / to be so grieved as to wish one were dead)
> 
> Quote Sources:
> 
> If we shadows have offended – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare
> 
> The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees – The Highwayman – Alfred Noyes
> 
> The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, the road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor, and the highwayman came riding- riding-riding- the highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door. – The Highwayman – Alfred Noyes
> 
> I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad when I have cause and smile at no man's jests, eat when I have stomach and wait for no man's leisure, sleep when I am drowsy and tend on no man's business, laugh when I am merry and claw no man in his humour. – Much Ado About Nothing – William Shakespeare
> 
> As I am an honest Puck and if we have unearned luck, we will make amends ere long.- A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare


	2. One

If there was one thing in the ‘Verse that River Tam hated, it was a liar.

It wasn't as if she hadn't dealt with lies before. Lies were a way of life, especially with her rather strange and varied family. Though they knew lying to her was an irritation and useless besides, so they didn’t much bother. But a habitual liar? Someone who couldn't, or wouldn't, tell the truth even if their life depended upon it? No. That she could not abide.

Someone like Marston Welland for instance. Marston couldn't say good morning without lying twice. Marston considered himself to be charming. Marston also thought that himself intelligent. Delusions and self-deception wrapped up in falsehoods. River mentally rolled her eyes as the wiry man in front of her gesticulated happily towards the ship he was showing her.

"Well she looks pretty enough," River finally offered a reply. "And if her engines look as shiny as her outsides then you've got yourself a mechanic. But I'd like to take a look before I agree to hire on." That wasn’t unusual, she’d watched Mal enough to know that any mechanic, engineer, or pilot worth their salt wouldn’t take a job without sussing out the particulars of a ship.

"Sure thing," Marston Welland nodded eagerly. He led the way up the ramp and through the pristine cargo hold. The only thing that looked out of place; the carelessly parked mule. It also had a bullet hole in its hull. The crates were meticulously stacked and bolted in place with cargo clamps but she could see more evidence of gunplay on the metal and wood. Whosever ship it might be, it did not belong to Welland. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

"So how long have you had _Liberty_?" River asked as she followed the self-proclaimed captain up the stairs. The set up of the ship was a lot like a Firefly though everything seemed a bit more up to date and streamlined. The ‘neck’ of the ship elongated more than _Serenity’s_ though of the same general shape. The ship even had a modular infirmary like _Serenity_. It must have been built to spec, there wasn’t much call for an infirmary on a ship that hadn’t been through a war and _Liberty_ had been built after ‘peace’ had been declared.

"Oh, not long," Welland called back. "Got her about...a month ago? Just gettin' set up. Got my fellas, good crew for regular jobs. Just wanna make sure she'll stay in the air, y'know?"

River nodded as they reached the upper deck and he pointed towards the engine room, "I know exactly what you mean." She smiled slightly as she read his thoughts. He actually figured this to be an original scheme. She’d thought him unintelligent, but he’d now proved himself a real moron on top of being a habitual liar. She didn’t have to be a Reader to know something was wrong. Even Simon would be able to tell something was off about him and Simon was still mostly a greenhorn. Though he had improved quite a bit since they’d initially arrived on _Serenity_. If he hadn’t Jayne would have knocked him out on general principle. Jayne had always been of the opinion that it was better to apologize than wait for someone to take advantage.

She tugged the strap of her duffle bag tighter, so it rested snugly against her back as she walked into the engine room. Making a show of setting her second bag away from the engine she bent and walked around the reaction core. She'd learned so much from Kaylee and Wash. Including how to look naive and cheerful even when she wasn't feeling much like it.

"Well she's a beauty," She grinned at the lying _pì yǎnr_ of a captain. "Long's you don't mind payin' me that straight ten percent you promised and now and then investin' in parts we've got a deal."

"Yeah," Marston Welland grinned from his position by the door. "About that..." He began to slide the door shut. "I'm thinkin' a little less than ten percent."

She rushed the door, as a panicked woman might, and watched as it slid shut and the sound of the magnetic locks engaged. Welland's smug grin was thankfully cut off by the door and she wouldn't have to look at him for a while. Taking a deep breath, she began to shriek in the manner of a woman outraged. “ _Jiào nǐ shēng háizi méi pìgu yǎn_! _Nǐ tā mā de tiān xià suǒ yǒu de rén dōu gāi sǐ_.” Throwing the tools she found in a cabinet at the door made more noise and actually got Welland to turn on the comm to reprimand her.

"Now missy, that's not gonna do you any bit a good," He chided her. "We're on our way to Deadwood. You just make sure nothin' goes wrong in there an' we'll all get along fine."

" _È yǒu 'èbào_ ," River shouted at the comm. "You _yú chǔn zì jiāo de dà zi ròu_."

"Now you just might hurt my feelin's," Marston scolded her mockingly. His men laughed uproariously in the background and River cursed them in fluent and very blue Chinese. "Settle down now, an' I might remember to feed you."

"You have screwed with the wrong woman," River told him coldly. "You've made me very angry Welland. Heav’n has no rage, like love to hatred turn’d, nor hell a fury, like a woman scorned.”

"I guess when you're angry I wouldn't like you so much," The erstwhile captain mocked. "You be a good girl, don't let us fall out of the sky and we'll be on Deadwood in no time."

" _Cào nǐ zǔ zōng shí bā dài_ ," River spat the words out, as coldly furious as she'd ever been. The only reply she got was the squawk of the comm as it was slammed closed.

* * *

The thing about being a Reader or a Witch as Mal liked to call her was that there were times she couldn't just...ignore what she was hearing. The voices seemed to scream at her, knowledge like needles in her brain, and she had to do something. Mal tried to be fairly understanding (as much as he could with jobs on the line) but she'd decided years ago that it was better for _Serenity_ if she wasn't there all the time. After all, Mal could be as understanding as he liked, but the crew still needed to eat.

She'd learned so much, from Wash when he'd been alive, and more after he'd died. From Kaylee, (a lot actually and sometimes more than she wanted concerning Simon) and even from Inara and Mal. Jayne hadn't ever really let his guard down around her, but he'd unbent enough to admit she was a damn good gunhand and he’d taught her a thing or two (or three whether he realized or not). But then Jayne had always had the sense to treat her as if she was dangerous. Even when no one else did. Jayne had the sense to know unpredictable and crazy did not a safe companion make. (That had been before he’d even learned about her other skillsets.) And by the time Simon had agreed to let her read through his medical books she already had a decent handle on basic doctoring from watching he, Zoë and Mal.

She'd learnt from everyone aboard _Serenity_ and they'd all helped her in their own way. But after she'd taken the boat on a detour a week out of their way because of something she'd Heard... Well. It had cost them the job. Or it would have if Inara hadn't sweet talked the client and Mal hadn't given them a steep discount. With the promise of a similar discount for the next job should they be so entrusted again. Jayne had grumbled about the reduction of the fee and she’d Read that he worried he wouldn’t have enough to send home and still keep himself in bullets.

River had decided that night. And when they'd gotten back to Persephone she'd told Mal he'd have to find another pilot. She'd never felt completely easy sitting in Wash's chair, even after he'd told her he didn't mind. _Serenity_ needed someone who wasn't so circumspect about its ghosts. And truthfully, it was still hard to go into her bunk and not look for the monster under her bed. Even though he hadn’t been there for a good long time, he’d been a friend. That he wasn’t there, even if he had been a figment of her fractured mind, hurt more than she could explain. His voice and presence had been a comfort when she’d had no other. Not seeing him would be easier if she wasn’t led to expect his presence by her surroundings.

There'd been a lot of objections, mostly from Simon and Mal. Zoë had been…quiet, but she’d said quite sincerely that River should do what was best for her, so long as it didn’t endanger the rest of them. Kaylee had understood. River hadn’t expected Inara to be encouraging, but she and Kaylee had seen that River had grown. And grown out of the life everyone expected her to have on _Serenity_. Jayne had actually taken her aside and given her a good long talk about 'bad men' and how to avoid them or to beat them at their own game. He'd even figured a few crews she might want to look up for some work. And he'd told her that what was fair and what people could pay wasn't always the same, even if it ought to be. Before she left he’d taught her everything he knew, as much as possible on board a ship, and he’d been mostly satisfied that she could take care of herself.

He’d also kept in touch, always around when she was able to wave and chatting amiably enough. She guessed that he was more comfortable with her at a distance from himself and peach cans. At least until they’d gotten used to each other. Jayne appreciated people who kept their word and didn’t beat around the bush. They were a lot alike in that respect. They’d actually developed a friendship since she’d been away, and she guessed if she visited now Jayne would be much more relaxed around her. It helped that she’d answered any question he put to her, without quibbling more than to say if he didn’t like what he heard it wasn’t her fault.

For someone who kept saying he didn't like her Jayne had been awfully worried that she was going to be on her own. Finally, she’d Read off of him that he figured someone would think her an easy mark for violence or a con, because of her small stature and pretty face. And she’d end up in some Slam or prison planet after she’d killed whoever it was.

But for all their worrying and cautionary tales she'd come away from _Serenity_ with an amazing sense of freedom and a list of contacts near as long as her leg. And then she'd gotten a job with Monty of all people. That had been fun.

It had been going on five years now that she'd been away from _Serenity_. It was still home in a way no other place had ever been but she'd outgrown it. Working her way through the 'Verse and taking jobs as she liked suited her. And as Mal had once noted, she was safer on the move. She’d never found another friend like her monster but she didn’t expect she would. She’d forced herself to stop looking for him except in rare circumstances. Each time she looked and didn’t find him it hurt more.

And every now and then she'd find a job she felt needed doing. Something she'd Heard. Or Seen. And this ship, _Liberty_ , had a job for her that had nothing to do with Marston Welland except as the cause. She just couldn’t be quite sure what, except that it involved a kidnapping of some sort. Some of the things she Heard were more vague than others.

River slung her duffle off her back and set it on the ground. Her other bag held her clothing and books, normal girl things. This one though, this she kept close. The gear in this bag was something she'd paid a great deal for and it had been worth every penny.

Clothing, specially made, soft, tight and smooth so it wouldn't snag on anything. The gloves and boots fit her perfectly. And the snood contained her hair so it wouldn't get caught anywhere. Her one vanity, keeping her hair long despite the impracticality of it. All of this specialized clothing was black and the complete opposite of the cheerful outfit she'd worn to act like the sweet and naive engineer Marston had trapped in the engine room. She’d learned that acting like Kaylee set men at ease, at least on the Border and Rim, and led them to believe she was helpless in quarrelsome situations.

She always wore her knives but when she got her pistols and gunbelt settled on her hips she felt infinitely better. Her axe and sword she left in the duffle. She'd be crawling through the vents and close quarters were no place for weapons that required space no matter how much she enjoyed them.

River almost chuckled to herself as she considered the fact that despite her age she'd never really grown any taller. She'd gotten a few more curves, or rather the ones she'd had at seventeen had been slightly augmented, but she still had the build of a dancer. It was a decidedly 'Core' look and not very appealing to men on the Rim who tended to like their women curvy and sturdy, like Kaylee or Zoë. Curvy and sturdy tended to translate to healthy child-bearing which was a trait greatly desired on the Rim.

It did make 'jobs' like this one easier though. People tended to associate smaller stature with youth and naivete as she’d learned from Jayne. Not that she was getting paid exactly. But whoever had gotten trapped here, kidnapped or hijacked (besides herself) along with this ship needed her help. Usually she got a ride or a meal when she finished one of these jobs. Sometimes a monetary reward, or goods she could sell. One memorable time she'd gotten a whirlwind tour of Paquin and several gorgeous gowns to wear to the opera house there. The Core gentleman she’d ‘stumbled over’ during that job had been very grateful and very generous with his gratitude. His ‘gratitude’ had paid for the clothing she wore now among other things. She’d been able to keep the gowns too, though they were in storage at the moment.

A half smile curved her mouth as she climbed the access ladder up to the air vents. _Liberty_ was built like a Firefly in more ways than one. She'd loved sneaking around the vents of _Serenity_ , the area between the hull and the workings of the ship and all the nooks and crannies characteristic of a Firefly. Most people didn’t realize how much even a ‘normal’ ship had hidden inside it.

The air ducts of _Liberty_ were a bit more rounded than _Serenity's_ but the layout was similar. River slid through them on her hands and knees with relative ease. She found it simple enough to find the 'crew' of _Liberty_. Four men including Marston. None of them looked overly bright or burdened with morals. Jayne would sneer at them. He’d always grin and say he was a lowdown mean _gǒu niáng yǎng de_ but even he had his standards.

By the time she'd explored all the little hiding places of the ship River had eliminated every possible area on the ship suited to hold a prisoner except for the crew bunks. Those were a bit trickier to spy upon. Whoever was kept there remained silent. And the crew were in and out of those bunks so she couldn’t exactly stroll in and out. And in the quiet of a bunk, the creak of the ducts became much more noticeable.

The waiting quickly became tedious. But finally, Marston took himself to the bridge and the rest of the crew moved to the galley and stayed there. Once they were empty slipping into the crew quarters wasn't hard. Programming the bunk ladders to lock was easy. Now no one could come down and disturb her search.

It was a little odd, there were eight crew bunks, but none of them were locked except for the first bunk. From the size of the others that was one of the four larger bunks, most likely the largest out of all of them. It would be the Captain's room, spacious enough to double as the ship's office. She would have thought that Marston would appropriate it. That he hadn’t argued for the kidnapping victim occupying the room.

Whoever they had contained in the room was likely either too big or too difficult to move. The Reader took a deep breath and cautiously opened her mind to listen for whoever was behind the door.

* * *

Luckily River had become used to being calm and keeping her heart rate down. If she hadn’t been she'd probably have done something stupid and noisy like stumble backwards and bang into another door or wall. She'd never felt anything like the mind behind that door, well, not in person anyway. Unless by in person you mean the manifestation of her subconscious with all the attendant emotions burning wild and rampant. Once or twice her monster had a similar feel to his thoughts, but he’d never felt quite like this. If her monster had been a warm thermal wind this mind had become a tornado of red-hot rage. No time for nostalgia, concentrate on here and now.

She’d never felt someone so angry, so livid. Raw, implacable, animalistic fury filled his mind. With such rage inside him she would have expected to hear him pounding at the door, pulling at the ladder or at the very least destroying the room. That much anger did not make for a quiet captive. But the room was utterly silent beyond the door.

River frowned without realizing it. She’d always found locked door mysteries more irritating than intriguing. It wasn’t that she couldn’t open the door. That was well within her capabilities. The door wasn’t even double locked or encrypted. But even bound and gagged a prisoner would make some noise, would require feeding and access to the head. Someone as angry as the mind behind the door…noise was almost a given. The ‘crew’ had been completely aware of the prisoner in the bunk, but no one had any concern for keeping him alive. But if they didn’t care if he lived or died why not just kill him right away? Odd.

Slipping inside and sliding the door shut behind her seemed the wisest move and yet, once inside the room River began to question the logic in her course of action. The room felt tiny and the walls seemed to close in oppressively. It was definitely the largest bunk on the boat, but for all the space it seemed to have it could have been the smallest. She had never been prone to claustrophobia but this... The door sliding closed behind her seemed to cut off all oxygen and sent a chill of foreboding through her bones.

Logically there was no reason for the room to seem smaller. The large bed still left plenty of space; there was even a rug on the floor. A couple of wall lockers and a functional desk, all bolted to the walls or floor, and barrister style cases filled with books lining the far wall didn’t take up so much room that the cabin looked cramped.

But the minute she laid eyes on the man lying prone on the mattress the air seemed close and heavy. Her breathing labored like life support had gone off, the air sucked out of her lungs. Only a foot closer than she’d been in the hallway but his wrath hit her mind like a storm. The space between his body and hers electrified with the strength of his fury and made the walls feel twice as close.

Completely illogical, she told herself, but she still had to force her feet to move forward, a halting, hesitant motion that would have been humiliating in its lack of grace had he been conscious enough to see. He was huge, no other way to describe him, simply humongous. He’d obviously been dumped on the bed, lying diagonally upon it, only the fact that he was unmoving kept his body on the mattress. Perfectly sculpted, his arms, legs, shoulders, toffee colored skin stretched over one of the most impressive sets of musculature she’d ever seen. And that included Jayne.

This man not quite as tall as Jayne, he was maybe an inch shorter, which still gave him considerable height. Jayne had always seemed very tall, especially to her diminutive as she was, but he also wore thick boots and this man did not. But this man was easily as wide, if not wider, in shoulder as Jayne and River could imagine he was twice as frightening on his best (or worst depending on your perspective) day. He had several days worth of hair on his head and face, obviously he usually went clean shaven since it was all uniform in length.

And he was hooked up to an IV with a strange cuff on his upper arm leading back up to the slowly dripping bag. Curiosity and worry forced her closer and she frowned. There was a trash bin next to the desk, cheap paper and an emptied IV bag sat in the bottom. River bent down to look at the labels and scowled fiercely. Cryo drugs. No doubt in her mind that this was the person she’d gotten that Feeling about. The Feeling that had brought her to the _Liberty_.

And no wonder she hadn’t been able to pick up any concern about feeding and water the prisoner. Everyone on the boat had pretty much put away all thoughts and concerns because cryo kept someone in stasis so well that time might as well stand still. She couldn’t hear thoughts of what they’d done because they had no need to think on logistics anymore. But if the cryo drugs were working the way they should, she wouldn’t have felt that storm of fury battering against her mind.

“Oh Marston, I’m going to gut you slowly for this,” She muttered to herself as she examined the cuff. It looked as if it was a cryo set up similar to her old box. Of course, in the years since she’d been smuggled aboard _Serenity_ cryo had gotten more advanced. She’d heard that the outer planet runs beyond the Alliance used cryo more often since it made running a ship cheaper and faster. They didn’t even need tubes or boxes like hers, just cuffs like this one. And it was safe enough out of Reaver range. Not that it was something she ever wanted to try again, she had enough trouble with people and their thoughts without completely lowering her defenses.

River shook her head and began to disconnect the drugs from the cuff. She’d knotted the lines to keep the fluid from dripping and had been working on the cuff when he shifted.

“Finally,” She muttered as she wrenched the cuff open. The needles pulled out of his skin and she shook her head as she dragged the cuff off his arm. “Now we've got that _chǔn bèn_ piece of _fèi wù gǒu shǐ_ off you we just wait for you to wake up—“

Her murmur was cut off by a huge hand wrapping around her throat.

* * *

He moved quicker than she would ever have believed, (especially for someone coming out of cryo) his hand around her throat lifting her up as he stood away from the bed. Her back hit the metal wall over the headboard and she would have gasped if she had the breath. She wheezed for air and kicked him in the ribs, but her foot made absolutely no impression. She didn’t do ineffectual, hadn’t been made for it. Humiliating. Silver eyes were glaring up at her, glowing in the shadows of the room and a low mean growl was crawling out of his chest into the air. Rage, trapped, held immobile…Free! Attack! Never again…no more cages…no more drugs… Never! His emotions, not hers, his…raw and feral and hungry for blood.

"Who’n the fuck are you," His voice sounded like sin. Low, angry and dark as Hell's cellar.

"R…Ri…River," It took three tries to get her name past her throat. Stupid and sloppy, to let down her guard. That amount of rage had to mean he’d been conscious, if immobile but she’d discounted that possibility. And anger of that strength usually meant an attack. Stupid. Stupid.

"What the fuck are you doing here," The question was a snarl and his hand tightened on her throat.

"Suffocating," River pushed the word past her lips. She kicked at him again, choosing her target more carefully and his hand loosened around her neck as her foot struck his groin.

She dropped in a slightly less than graceful crouch on the bed where he'd been lying less than a moment ago. But before she could get past him the big man tackled her to the mattress. Now instead of being held up to a wall by his hand on her throat his body was flattening hers. And his hand was wrapped around her throat again, though without nearly as much pressure, thankfully. "One more time," He growled down at her. "Without trying to put my jewels in my throat. What the fuck are you doin' here?"

"Supposed to be rescuing someone who’d been kidnapped," She sneered up at him. Irritated she might be but she still had sense enough to not call him a ‘kidnapping victim’. Men his size did not take to being called victims. "Usually people are happier to see me. Ungrateful _bái mù_ wretch. _Jiào nǐ shēng háizi méi pìgu yǎn_."

"I don't know you. You’ve got no reason to be here," He seemed to be ignoring her insults in favor of figuring out her motives. Reason replacing rage, fury fading as he questioned her… Reality coming into focus around him.

River rolled her eyes, "I knew there was something wrong. I always know." His hand loosened on her throat slightly and she was able to speak more easily. "I knew that Marston Welland was a liar the minute he opened his mouth. I knew he hijacked this boat before I ever set foot on it. I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t."

She watched his face but he was stoic as Zoë ever was. His thoughts, however, were another story. Guarded and indistinct, they were nearly impossible to Read unless opened her mind to his. Touch made everything more clear. That rage had been ruthlessly controlled. She could hear, vaguely, how his mind raced, calculating, weighing probabilities and determining whether or not she was telling the truth, inhaling and analyzing her scent for lies. His mind was amazing to watch, nearly as fast as her own and if she had to guess, almost as intelligent as she was. He was weighing in other factors though, what he learned through his senses, her scent and voice and the dilation of her eyes. She got the sense of a decision but couldn’t Hear what it was, though his emotions were more clear than his thoughts. "How'd you know," He asked in a quieter growl. "How'd you know something was wrong?"

"You'll think I'm crazy," She would have sighed but she couldn't take a deep enough breath. "Can you get off me? You're not exactly a lightweight."

"Crazy depends on where you're standing," He retorted. Then he shifted slightly, his hand gentling on her throat, his thumb stroking over her pulse as it started hammering with nerves. "And it's been a while since I had a woman in my bed. Maybe I'm just enjoying it while it lasts."

"If this is how you get women I'm not surprised you aren't often honored with company," River didn't quite sneer but she couldn't help wrinkling her nose as she rolled her eyes.

"Don't change the subject," He admonished, and the corner of his mouth quirked upward in a half smile. His fingers stroked over the soft skin of her neck teasingly. "How'd you know?"

River swallowed, all he had to do was tighten his hand and twist. He was strong enough to break her neck without any effort at all. And every instinct she had was screaming that he'd do it if she didn't tell him the truth. But at the same time… he wouldn’t kill her if he didn’t like the truth. Only if she lied. Control of his emotions made Reading him difficult. Without being able to Read him she had only her intuition to guide her. "It's a long story. But the sum of it is that I'm a Reader. I See things, Hear things. Sometimes I Know when something's going to happen." She shrugged, "Mostly I just tell people that I had a bad feeling when I help them."

"Because if you said you're a Reader they'd never listen to you," He eased back a bit, supporting the weight of his chest on his elbows so she could breathe easier. His hand stayed on her neck though, his fingers still gently stroking her skin in an oddly enjoyable caress. "So, what'd made you figure I needed help?"

"I got a Feeling and followed it until I came upon the ship. I knew _Liberty_ didn't belong to Marston. I knew he was lying," River shifted slightly and the huge man shifted with her, mirroring her movements instinctively. "I knew he was going to do something to the owner of the ship. I didn't know who owned the ship; only that Marston Welland was up to no good." She scowled, "I acted like I was looking for a job. I'm an engineer, among other things. Welland showed me up to the engine room and then locked me in. I acted upset, cursed and threw things and waited. Then I changed into my work clothes and I climbed through the air ducts."

"Through the whole ship," He frowned. "How long've you been doing that?" He was studying her face as if trying to Read her.

"It's been about five hours," River shrugged. "I had to go through the whole ship and wait until the crew were out of their bunks. I didn't think they'd be stupid enough to lock you in your own bunk." She shuddered as she remembered the amount of rage she'd felt from within the room. She had no doubt that it had come from the man on top of her.

"What," He was frowning. He'd obviously seen or felt her trembling, or his other senses had informed him of her trepidation.

"It's not just thoughts that I—” She broke off her explanation. "I could feel how angry you were. I've never..." River took as deep a breath as she could and exhaled. "The only time I've ever felt anything like that... It was a long time ago and not exactly the same."

"When?" He was curious, he didn't, couldn't, understand exactly what he was asking. And she didn’t feel inclined to tell him.

"It was a long time ago," She told him quietly. "And it’s none of your business." She wiggled under him, trying to squirm out from beneath his body.

"What's your hurry," He was chuckling silently, she could feel his amusement as he asked the question.

"I got that _tiān shā de_ cuff off you," River growled back at him and felt his surprise. "So far all I've gotten from you is grief, bruises and the body of a man I don't know or want on top of me. I'll unlock your _tā mā de_ hatch when I leave. Now get off me." Didn’t want was a stretch… she wasn’t oblivious to his looks, or how he felt on top of her now that his touch had gentled.

"A man you don't want," He repeated her words with a wicked grin and bent his neck until his mouth was ghosting over her jaw and neck. River shuddered, half with nerves and half in she didn't know what. Something he liked, to judge from the curve of his mouth. "River..." He muttered her name. "Pretty girl comes sneaking into my room, takes, me out of cryo and ends up lying under me on my bed--"

"Because you held me up against the wall by the throat, dropped me and then tackled me," River argued. "This is the most inane, inept and insane seduction routine I've ever seen.” And if she didn’t get him off her it just might work, now that anger had gone… A dangerous man but not a threat to her. “I don't even know who you are."

"So you'd be happier if you knew my name," He huffed with laughter as he continued to brush his lips over her skin. "I'm Richard. Richard B. Riddick."

"Great. Wonderful," River rolled her eyes and ignored the shivery sensations on her skin. She had absolutely no intention of allowing this man to do anything with her body. No matter how good that mouth felt barely tracing over her skin. He'd nearly killed her. It was insulting and more than a little embarrassing when she considered the level of her skills. Really embarrassing because she’d let down her guard and he’d caught her. Finding him attractive was adding insult to injury. And dear Buddha what an insult he was. If rude, big and muscular was her type she’d have fallen for Jayne years ago, but Jayne had never done anything like this attacked and then seduced near simultaneously. Obviously, she was going insane. Insane again, she amended her thought. "Now let me up."

"Why?" He shifted slightly and his mouth dipped to the curve of her collarbone. She could hear the grin in his voice. "You pissed off about something," He observed. "Gonna tell me what?"

"I helped you. You reacted by choking me, slamming me against the wall and tackling me," River hissed at him. “Is this how you always react to someone who lends you assistance?” Ignore the warmth of him and how gentle his touch was now.

“Someone I don’t know, yeah, pretty much,” He nodded. “There’s always an ulterior motive. Always a shiv aimed for the sweet spot, looking to take advantage.” Truth, nothing but truth on his tongue. His mouth twisted, may a bit sheepish himself, “And cryo…I don’t react well to it. I come out of it…well. Like that.”

“Well mine was to keep from going _diān dǎo_ from that Feeling I had if I didn’t do something about it,” She rolled her eyes. At least that explained his close to bi-polar mood change from attack to seduce. She had no doubt even now he was capable of both. When he’d attacked her, he hadn’t felt malicious simply enraged. "Now I need to get back to the engine room before we reach Deadwood or Marston Welland, stupid liar though he is, will figure out that something is wrong. Because an engine room minus his second hostage is a big enough clue even for him."

"Deadwood?" He froze above her and she could feel his entire mood shift. "That's the course he set?"

"Yes," She nodded. "That's what he told me. And unlike most other things he said it was the truth. Why? What's on Deadwood?"

"It's only the base for a couple of mercs who'd love to get their hands on me," Riddick growled. "Unlock the damn bunk. I've got a crew to kill."

"Right," She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't have any trouble with those idiots, but I can't see how you'd manage to take on five men and land this ship."

"Is that a challenge?" He lifted his body off of hers and she felt cold suddenly. He'd been so warm she hadn't realized once her body had grown accustomed to his heat. "You don't know me. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"No one can take on five men less than an hour after coming out of cryo, I don't care how big you are," She shot back. "If you're going to take back the ship you'll need my help."

"You've never met me," Riddick shrugged as he opened a wall locker and removed a gun belt and a selection of knives she just might be envious of (but she wasn’t. No, she wasn’t). "Only reason Marston took me down at was that he slammed enough tranqs in me to knock out an elephant and slapped that cryo cuff on to put me under before I shook them off."

"So you're going to kill five men, without knowing where they are, what they're doing or how well they're armed?" River pushed herself off the bed and moved towards the door. "What should I be doing then? Cowering in here?"

"Long as you're out of the way you can't get hurt," He wrapped the gun belt around his hips and began checking what she recognized as knife sheaths hidden all over his body.

"I'll stay out of the way," River smirked. "If you manage to take all five of them without getting injured yourself I'll even work as the engineer until we hit dirt."

"You think that much of them?" The big man was eyeing her curiously. "Or do you think that little of me?"

"You're big and you have fast reflexes but so far all I've seen you do is attack someone who was helping you," The slender woman shrugged. One hand lifted to smooth a strand of hair back into her snood, elaborately bored with the conversation. "How could I have any confidence in you at all? You were taken down by Marston Welland. The man is an idiot and a born liar."

"I was taken down by horse tranqs shot into my back from a hundred feet away," Riddick was almost snarling. "I'd like to see you do better."

"Have," River almost smiled. Really irritating him was almost too much fun. He was nearly as easy as Simon to bait. Petty revenge true, but still enjoyable as payback for his hand around her throat. After this she’d call it even. He clearly didn’t consider it of great importance. "No one sneaks up on me Mr. Riddick. Not even when I'm asleep." She kept the frown that thought summoned off her face. The flip side of no one sneaking up on her was that she had a very difficult time sleeping. Part of her was always aware, always waiting for an attack. When her monster had been under the bed she’d felt safe enough to rest. She pushed the thought away with a frown.

"Well you can use your Reading to listen to how easily I'm going to kill these fucking pirates," Riddick smirked at her as if he knew something she didn’t. "It'll be nice to have an actual engineer again." Yes, he definitely knew something she did not. Irritating sensation.

"What happened to your last one?" River wondered aloud.

He grimaced, "Had a regular run between two systems. My engineer took up with someone at one end of the run. Got the girl pregnant. Next time we landed her daddy was waiting for us. Shot gun wedding. I was looking to hire on when Welland took his shot at me." Dark silver eyes looked up at the hatch to his bunk, "If you're looking for a job we'll have to talk about it later. Right now…I'm getting a little itchy."

"It's unlocked. Don't let me stop you," She gave a little wave of her hand to shoo him off. "I'll just wait until you need help. Then I'll come rescue you. _À bientôt_ Mr. Riddick."

His growl was loud and irritated and echoed behind him after he left. River couldn't stifle the giggle that erupted from her lips. Why were men so easy to bait?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So I know there’s a lot of curiosity about the monster and if it’s Riddick or not. And I know there’ll be some people who will say there’s no way anyone could take down Riddick the way I’ve presented here. But since the latest film proved that horse tranqs can and did take him down I figured it would work for me too. This is something of an experiment for me, River's POV only, attraction but no immediate action... And Riddick's mind not being easy for River to Read. I want a little uncertainty there. So bear with me. This isn't a huge long story, I think it hits about 69000 for word count. 
> 
> Oh, and a virtual cookie for anyone who can pinpoint the source of the phrase 'can't say good morning without lying twice'!
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> pì yǎnr (slob / asshole)
> 
> Jiào nǐ shēng háizi méi pìgu yǎn (May your child be born with an imperforate anus)
> 
> Nǐ tā mā de tiān xià suǒ yǒu de rén dōu gāi sǐ. (Fuck everyone in the universe to death)
> 
> È yǒu 'èbào (evil has its retribution (idiom); to suffer the consequences of one's bad deeds / sow the wind and reap the whirlwind - Hosea 8:7)
> 
> yú chǔn zì jiāo de dà zi ròu (stupid inbred sack of meat)
> 
> Cào nǐ zǔ zōng shí bā dài (fuck your ancestors to the eighteenth generation)
> 
> gǒu niáng yǎng de (son of a bitch)
> 
> chǔn bèn (stupid) 
> 
> fèi wù (good for nothing)
> 
> gǒu shǐ (dog shit)
> 
> bái mù (stupid / Lit. white-eyed, blind / not understanding the situation and reacting in a wrong way as a result)
> 
> tiān shā de (goddamn)
> 
> tā mā de (fucking)
> 
> diān dǎo (To turn upside down / to reverse / back to front / confused / deranged / crazy)
> 
> Quote Sources:
> 
> Heav’n has no rage, like love to hatred turn’d, nor hell a fury, like a woman scorned – The Mourning Bride – William Congreve


	3. Two

He hadn't said she couldn't make herself comfortable. And he hadn't told her she couldn't touch anything. So, she explored his cabin while she mentally tracked him and his actions. And put out of her mind the way that last growl had trembled along her nerve endings. Irritating to be attracted to someone who’d had his hand around her throat, taken her off guard.

She could Hear Riddick sneaking up on one of the crew down in the cargo bay, his strong hand grasping the oblivious man’s ankle from beneath the metal steps. One ungraceful tumble later and the former victim snapped his would-be kidnapper’s neck. River couldn’t help but smile a little as she opened his second wall locker. Drawers of utilitarian clothing in shades of black or gray. Everything folded neatly, with almost military precision, even the socks, matched and folded rolls in ordered rows. He had one set of slightly nicer clothing that could pass if he visited a Core world, also in grey and black.

While he was stalking the second crew member she began to inspect his desk. Ship’s paperwork, job shares, taxes. He ran a fairly legitimate operation with a few side jobs that were a bit less than legal according to the veiled references in his ledger. And he’d lost his engineer and cargo hand within a week of each other according to his records. Grim satisfaction flowed through Riddick’s mind into hers and River blinked. He’d taken down the second man, broke his neck with a twist of his hands and left the body where it had fallen.

River tilted her head thoughtfully. So far, he’d been lucky. He’d come upon both men separately. But the other three, including Marston Welland, were on the upper deck. Marston was on the bridge and the other two were in the galley. This encounter would be a fair assessment of his fighting skills. She could feel that rage growing inside him, ruthlessly harnessed, it gave even greater power to his muscles. Instinct, the pure animalistic part of her that fed her intuition, told her that this man would have no difficulty dealing with the men who’d tried to hijack his ship. Her teasing moments ago had been just that, teasing. A woman testing a man’s mettle to see how he’d react.

Even as she reached for a slender book on the corner of his desk River felt Riddick move. She could only compare the feeling in theory, but it was as if being in the mind of a hunting cat, grace, raw power and hunger. Odd, he’d been so contained earlier, once his initial furious reaction had faded. Wrath and vengeance satisfied. He’d come up behind one man and slit his throat before the other had completely turned around. The second crewman took the sprayed arterial burst from his companion right across the face and only had half a moment to register the sensation before Riddick was on him. A flash of a curved blade and the second man went limp and slid to the floor.

River opened the book and smiled. It had been a long time since she’d read any of the classics. Riddick was above the hatch to his bunk now. He’d made a full loop of the ship taking out the crewmen before he went after Marston. If she hadn’t been a Reader she would never have known Riddick was in the hallway. He moved like a predator, silent as time and just as deadly.

And catlike again, he’d decided to play with his prey for a while. He spoke as he opened the door to the bridge, “Marston.” He greeted the pirate.

“What’n the—“ River could feel the shock in Welland’s voice, and more than shock, terror upon seeing Riddick in the doorway. Welland’s mind and out of control emotions contrasted with Riddick’s control merely emphasized how unusual Riddick was.

“See that’s the problem with trying to take my ship and sell me off,” Riddick began. His voice was low and mean, a rasping growl that scraped at Marston Welland’s nerves. “I don’t like mercs much. I like pirates less.”

“I wasn’t…”

Riddick was shaking his head, “I enjoy it when people are scared of me Marston. Smells like the best kinda cologne. I’m thinking I could give you a little rundown of what I did to your men. Explain the fine points of anatomy and what I like to call the sweet spot.” He paused and River could feel him looking over the terrified would be pirate, “You ever hear of the abdominal aorta? It’s my favorite spot. You get a nice gush of blood, catch it in a cup and drink it hot with some peppermint schnapps.”

“I got a girl, she’s… she’s locked up…she’s yours…just—“

From the way Riddick’s fury turned red black in his mind that was the wrong thing to say. River felt her entire body roll in a massive shudder at Riddick’s response. He hadn’t even felt like that when he’d been under cryo, or when he’d come out of it attacking her. “You used my ship to take a woman and rape her,” His voice was more of a growl. “For that you’re gonna die slow.” She blinked in shock at the realization that he thought Marston had violated her.

“No, I ain’t--” Marston was frantic to save his life. “She’s in the engine room. Fine little piece. She’s all yours…”

“Fucking pig,” River felt Riddick lose his patience and his wrath took over. Red rolled through his mind as he sliced through muscle and bone, finally ending Marston’s misery with a deep slice to his belly.

She sat on the bed and held the book in her hands for a long quiet moment before she gathered her mind and cautiously reached out to Riddick’s thoughts again. Nothing came clearly with him, emotion more than thought and even that almost muted until she opened wide and fixed her mental eye upon him. And still…nothing specific, the most general impressions only. Could he truly be so contained that she wouldn’t need to constantly block his thoughts and feelings?

Anger filled him still, disgusted with himself for not being able to fight off the tranquilizers, and absolutely furious that a woman had been harmed on his ship. Thinking back and realizing that his own behavior might have frightened her more than he realized. Nuzzling and caressing… His thoughts more clear now, emotional and easier for her to Hear. A rape victim being held down, under a man’s body, a big man like him, he wondered if she was in shock that she hadn’t had hysterics. Mentally castigating himself for his behavior, for not realizing what might have happened to her, not smelling it on her (what did that mean?). Emotions ruthlessly pushed back and controlled…he’d gone back to being vague again.

River sighed and leaned back onto the bed, trying to Read him felt like running uphill through a swamp. And it felt like forever since she’d slept. Riddick didn’t seem to be in any hurry to come back to his room. She’d rest for a while. After all, she’d hear him long before he got close enough to see her with her eyes closed.

* * *

She was only half right. She felt him coming down the ladder into the bunk, but she didn’t have time to open her eyes before he was inside the dim room. River blinked, blinked again to see two glowing eyes, bright silver, staring at her in the darkness and tilted her head. The scientists at the Academy would have had a field day with Riddick. Unless the nocturnal vision was the result of a surgery rather than naturally occurring.

“You okay?” He was quieter than he’d been before, as if he was gentling his voice, pressing the natural growl of it back. His movements weren’t restrained, he was clearly behaving normally but he also didn’t make any sort of move to join her on the bed. She’d definitely gotten the impression he wanted to keep her there before, he’d liked having her under him, liked rubbing his lips over her neck, inhaling her scent as it if was pleasing.

River narrowed her eyes at him and found his thoughts. “You don’t have to tiptoe,” She told him in answer to the unspoken concern. “Marston didn’t rape me. Didn’t even touch me. He showed me the engine room and locked me in.”

“He would have,” Riddick’s voice was dark with distaste as he leaned back against the ladder. Not easily discarded, the idea that he might have further traumatized her with his own behavior, she surmised. Unwilling to scare her without intention?

“He could have tried,” River stretched and took a moment to fluff up the pillow she’d used. “It would take more than Marston to take me unawares.” She stood and rotated her neck before she moved towards him, “I’ll check the engine, and make sure she’s sound. Didn’t hear anything worrisome but who knows what that idiot did to her.”

Riddick didn’t move in response to her hint. Instead he folded his arms and looked down at her curiously. “Tell me if there’s trouble. I’ll be on the bridge. Need to figure out a new course with the available fuel.”

“Could keep going to Deadwood,” River suggested with a grin. “Might be fun to drop in on a couple of mercs.”

“They aren’t after you. No point in getting them interested in you,” He shook his head.

River frowned slightly. He was the most…mercurial male she’d met in a while. She pulled out a data crystal and tossed it to him, “Take a look at this. Then tell me I don’t have any reason to go after mercs.” She waited but he apart from snatching the crystal out of the air, he still didn’t move. “Fine, I’ll go out the way I came in,” She opened the door to the hallway. The vent to the air duct opposite his room swung open easily and with a push off the wall she was up inside the vent.

The hand around her ankle was an irritant that erupted into a full-blown annoyance when he gave a sharp tug and she lost her grip on the sides of the vent. She tumbled into his arms and pushed herself out of them using his chest as leverage. “What is wrong with you? _Kě wù de lǎo bào jūn_.” She snapped when she was finally on her own two feet.

“Could ask you the same question,” He was looking down at her like she was a mystery to be solved. “You just go off to the engine room, no questions, just like that?” He held up the data crystal, “And what the fuck is this?”

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” River rolled her eyes. “I could feel you, tracked you with my mind. I know you took all five of them and they’re all dead. It would have been more impressive if they hadn’t split up but I set no terms as to conditions. I lost the bet. I owe you engine service. Which I would have done anyway.” She pointed at the crystal, “And that is a very compelling reason for me to go after mercs.”

He was staring at the crystal skeptically and River sighed. She’d put the bare minimum of files on the crystal, just enough to convince someone that she really could do what she said but not enough to track her once she decided to disappear. It was encrypted, coded and sealed. “It’s about me. You can look at it, once, and then the data will erase. It can’t be copied. But it’s proof of what I’ve said. You seem like the type who needs proof.” She’d had another Feeling, before she’d coming hunting _Liberty_ , that she’d need the crystal. Need hard verifiable evidence.

“You proved you’re a Reader,” He handed the crystal back to her with a smirk. “The rest of it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Then why yank me out of the ducts,” River folded her arms and stared at him. She really didn’t like being manhandled. And this man had done it three times in one day.

“Wasn’t done talking to you yet,” He shrugged at her and she immediately wanted to hit him in his silently smug mouth.

“Are you done now?” She asked in the sweetest voice she could manage. “Can we go to Deadwood and kill mercs please? Please? With sugar and cream and a strawberry on top?”

His laugh felt like his voice, sinfully dark and wickedly sensual as it echoed through the hall. “Are you trying to make me keep you or let you go away?” His big hand lifted, and a blunt finger traced the line of her cheekbone and jaw, his eyes following, sharp and hot, “Strawberries, sugar and cream…all that does is make me crave something sweet.”

"Then you're barking up the wrong tree," River shook her head. He had to be the strangest man she'd ever met. And that included Mal, Wash, Jayne and the Operative. Not two hours ago he'd been ready to kill her. (Though he had explained that reaction.) Then he'd begun to almost seduce her in a blunt and overbearing way, interest in every line of his body. And both emotions were completely genuine according to what she'd Read in him. So close she couldn’t help but feel his emotions. Now she wasn't sure what he wanted but she knew she was anything but sweet.

"Yeah?" He was moving towards her slowly, like a cat creeping up on a mouse. "Why's that?"

"I'm not sweet," River told him flatly. "I'm not sugar and strawberries." It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to ask any one of the dozen men who'd tried to talk their way into her bed. None of them had thought she was a sweet young thing by the time they'd given up. Harpy. Tease. _Jiàn huò_. Those were just a few of the names she'd been called by stymied would be suitors.

"You sure?" He inhaled deeply and moved closer. "Smell damn sweet to me." Those dark silver eyes were gleaming as he stared down at her. "Like hot blood and liqueur, sugared raspberries and mint."

"Ask anybody," River folded her arms. When did she go on the defensive? He could have killed her. She could feel the impression of his hand around her neck and didn't doubt that if he hadn’t taken care she would have had bruises from his fingers. He'd tackled her, held her down, almost choked her and then he'd had the gall to say he enjoyed having her in his bed. "Sweet is the last way any man would describe me." Irritated at being caught off guard, humiliation at how easily he’d grabbed her rode her spine until she wanted to arch and hiss like a cat and lash out for the satisfaction of drawing blood, she felt nothing like sweet.

"Guess I'm not a man then," Riddick chuckled softly. Her hand slid up her chest to her throat remember both the feel of his threatening hand and his lips on that flesh. His eyes fixed on her hand and the laugh faded, "Ask anybody. They'll all tell you I'm an animal." He nodded at her throat, "You got your own proof of that." River stared at him in surprise as the heat and want she'd felt rising off his skin faded abruptly and he turned, standing aside. "Go on up the ladder in my bunk. Check the engine and then let me know where I can drop you off."

River frowned but did as he said. Halfway up the ladder she looked back to see him in the doorway of his bunk. His eyes were practically glued to her legs and they were glowing with heat again. With a sigh, she continued up the ladder, "I'll meet you on the bridge." She barely heard his answer in the affirmative before the hatch closed behind her. He really had to be the strangest man she’d ever met. And strangely mercurial for someone who gave so solid an impression.

* * *

River had gotten halfway to the engine room when a wave of desire hit her. The strength of it was staggering and she leant against the wall of the hallway to catch her breath. " _Tā mā de dì yù_ ," She breathed. How had he changed from her barely able to Read him to his emotions near overwhelming her? The Reader looked back towards Riddick's bunk. Touching her mind to his was like being embraced in fire. " _Wo de ma he ta de feng kuang de wai sheng dou_!" She jerked her mind away and hurriedly re-established her normal mental shields.

Without Riddick's suddenly wild emotions pressing against her mind River found her knees somewhat steadier. Her bags were in the engine room right where she'd left them and the radion accelerator core was turning steadily. River sank down on one of the hull outcroppings and took a deep breath. She'd never felt that amount of pure...need from anyone, not since Wash had been killed and Zoë had closed off her heart. And definitely not concerning herself as the object of said desires. For a moment she let herself wonder if she'd actually met someone who found her attractive when she was at her most sarcastic and dismissive.

Then she remembered cryo and the fact that Riddick's ship logs showed that he'd employed nothing but men for the past six months. Marston had kept _Liberty's_ captain on the cryo drugs for at least a week. Who knows how long it had been before Marston that the _Liberty_ had been dirtside. It wasn't a matter of finding her attractive. It was the simple fact that she was female and she'd been pressed against him. She was slender but she was still a woman and shaped appropriately. Any woman of appropriate age (or approximating it) would be attractive to Riddick. Like waving protein in front of a starving man. He’d think it fresh food.

"He's a man you _chǔn bèn nī zi_ ," She berated herself in a low voice. "Stop wearing skintight clothing and his interest will go away."

She followed her own advice, stripping off her covert working clothes and replacing them with the soft worn cargo pants, and the snug teeshirt Kaylee had given her. The outfit left her collarbone and an inch or so below it bare and a thin ribbon of flesh between her shirt and pants but nothing offensive or (to her mind) overly provocative. The shirt had been worn so much the under arm portions of the sleeves had eroded and she’d cut them so a thin strip of fabric connected from her elbow to the shoulder on the outside of her arm. And it was a relief to get out of the clothing that compressed her breasts and back into a normal bra. She wasn't as well-endowed as her sister-in-law, Zoë or Inara, but at least she had some curves.

The snood was the last to go and she was feeling just contrary enough that she didn't put her hair back in its customary braided bun right away, instead leaving it in the long plait that fell to her hips. Packing away her work clothes River frowned at her gunbelt and decided she wouldn't wear it. Her knives, yes. She'd rather go without oxygen than her knives.

She heard him at the door just before he opened it and counted herself lucky that she'd already changed. Not looking at him right away was probably childish but she was tightening the straps on her knife sheath to her forearm so at least she had an excuse. Trying to sort out her reactions to him wouldn’t be made any easier by taking another look at that huge muscled body and unconventionally handsome face she found so attractive even with a slight beard.

When she did look up he was simply watching her, his eyes following her hands, moving to her hair, arms, and then back to her face before starting the cycle over again. "Need any help with that?" He nodded at her wrist sheaths.

Good; an excuse to look down again, calm her reaction to Riddick clean shaven. He’d shorn himself of the beard and hair on his head. A strong statement that he hid from nothing and no one. And even more attractive. "I'm fine. No point in having knives hidden if you need help to hide them," She shrugged as she tugged the final strap into place, pulling her sleeve down over it and slid one last knife into the back of her belt. It was a trick Jayne had taught her, a sheath inside the belt, suitable for a slender knife that most people would overlook since it was hidden by the thick leather. "Ship's running pretty well. She practically purrs." Truth, the ship couldn’t run better, Riddick had taken care with the engines.

"Don't expect you to sleep in here," He told her. "Pick a bunk. I'll disinfect the ones those...trash were using after I figure out where we are."

River shrugged at him and picked up her bags, "Why would I pick a bunk?" She walked past him and dumped her bags in the galley's lounge. "You've made it pretty plain you want me off the boat as fast as you can manage it."

He was muttering behind her and even with her shields she could feel his irritation rising. "Don't you have anything that isn't skintight or showing off enough skin to drive a priest crazy?" He grumbled as he brushed past her and jerked the coffeepot off the burner. "Hasn't anyone ever told you to wear something... that covers more?"

River stared at him in amazement, " _Nǐ zài jiǎng shén me pì huà_?" She was wondering if she'd finally run into someone who was legitimately insane. "And people say I belong in a bughouse? If I were any more covered I'd have to wear veils and robes."

"If you think that what you're wearing now is any better than what you were wearing before then you do belong in a bughouse," He snarled back at her. "Don't go waving raw steak in front of a starving animal."

He didn't quite stomp out of the galley with his coffee but he gave a very good imitation of silently thundering rage as he stalked out. River stared, "Steak?" She repeated to the empty galley in bewilderment. "Is he hallucinating?" Completely confused and puzzled…foreign feelings, at least for her, she did not enjoy them. Novel as they were, not much fun at all really.

His hearing was apparently just as acute as his eyes or sense of smell because it only took five seconds for him to return to the galley. Those dark silver eyes seemed to hit her with the force of a spear even as she looked at him in confusion. "Look in a mirror," He almost growled at her. "Unless you're blind and stupid." Riddick turned and left again just as silently as before.

She stared after him as his words hit her, blind and stupid. She was neither of those things and any other time such an accusation might have made her laugh. But the mood she was in it was just one more irritant that had her storming after him to the bridge. "You are out of your mind! Or blind or… _bái mù_ yourself! There's nothing wrong with what I'm wearing. If it's been so long since you've had a woman that you think I'm a temptation then drop me on Deadwood and make a stop at the nearest brothel before you go completely _chī xiàn_."

"I'm crazy?" His tone was heavy with derision, "You've got to be kidding me. And I'm not dropping you on Deadwood. Great way to get yourself killed. Or haven't you been paying attention to me telling you about the mercs?" Silver eyes looked away from the gently lit controls and stared at her. "That crystal of yours? Doesn't make much sense. If you've had mercs after you before then you should know better than to meet 'em on their own ground."

"Mercs don't scare me," River rolled her eyes. "Sometimes they're even a challenge. Mostly they're just weaponed up muscle brained thugs who think too much of themselves." She folded her arms and glared down at him. "So, drop me on Deadwood and when I'm done there'll be two less mercs on planet. I probably wouldn't even need my work clothes or knives."

"To take out Toombs and Trask?" He sat back in his chair and shook his head slowly, "They're not amateurs. Almost caught me a time or two. This's the closest they've ever come that I haven't walked right up to 'em." Silver eyes darkened and narrowed on her clothing again, "Go put something on that covers up your skin." It was a clear dismissal.

Her skin seemed to prickle with irritation as he turned his back to her again. Big hands moved easily over the controls of the ship belying the emotions suddenly emanating from his skin. River tilted her head and cautiously opened her mind to his. Even controlled, almost muted, Riddick’s feelings were shocking in their intensity, like the rage she'd felt earlier, but he wasn't angry with her, despite his dismissive tone.

She couldn't help staring at him, his back still turned to her. It was so rare she was actually surprised by what she Read. Thanks to being a Reader and a genius, she was almost never astounded. But if his thoughts were vague, his feelings, even muted as they were, were so clear it was impossible for her to mistake them, at least now that she’d opened her mind to his.

"I've never met someone with so much...control," She offered in a voice that still shook slightly. "Most men...they... Their needs…wants...they run rampant, it’s like madness to feel it unless I'm prepared. You... you're..."

"What?" His voice was a snarl that was probably meant to sound ugly and mean. But to her, overlaid with the feelings she could sense from him, there was nothing repugnant about it. "I'm what? Just spit out whatever you gotta say and get off the damn bridge." He was still gazing stubbornly at the controls as if looking at her was more trouble than it was worth.

She shook her head and laid the palm of her hand flat on the back of his neck, "Warmth. Heat, life and fury." River let the words tumble from her mouth, her eyes staring sightlessly into the black beyond the windows of the bridge. His feelings were so intense they could overwhelm her now that she’d touched his skin, images of his desires flashing across her mind. "Clear and clean, like white fire. Desire. Freedom and home. And want. Dark hands on pale skin, black hair tumbled across white sheets. Need."

He turned abruptly, and her hand fell from his skin only to be grasped by the wrist. A rough, callused palm and fingers wrapped around her wrist tightly, just short of bruising, "And what the fuck else do you see?" Riddick was staring up at her now even though she was still caught up in his mind and unable to meet his gaze. So much…he felt so much… the heat of a thousand stars in the black…caught up in his mind, his thoughts.

"Possession. Loyalty. Fierce. Independence," River was almost gasping out the words. "He is one of a kind. Strong and proud. Needs no one. Takes nothing that he cannot keep. Touches no one that he cannot protect or simply leave behind. Resolved. He is always alone." She felt the tears well up and slowly overflow her eyes, trickling slowly down her face in reaction to what she could feel in the deepest part of his mind. She’d only felt one other person who’d been so alone, but her monster didn’t exist except in her own mind and it didn’t make sense to feel echoes of him in this man. "Longing. Pain. Loss. Not meant for..."

He was staring at her now, shock raced through him like lightening at the sight of her tears, "What else do you see? And feel?" That voice, like an avalanche, tumbling over her, demanded the truth. She couldn't lie even if she wanted to.

"He is always alone. He is tired," She whispered now. "He wants her. Never took what wasn't offered. Won't start now. Beauty. Softness. Spice and sweetness…scents like… Temptation. His Animal... so tightly leashed inside him, straining at the bindings. Wants to touch, to take. So tired of being alone. Aching. Yearning. For purpose. For meaning. For Purity." Her tears were falling freely now, and her knees started to buckle. She'd never held on to someone for so long, felt so much, not since she'd left _Serenity_. And she’d never felt anything like him in her life. "Please... I... _Wǒ xiǎng mèi ěr mèixīn biàn shítou_." She shuddered and a strong arm wrapped around her back and pulled her forward before she crumpled to the deck.

* * *

Soothing darkness met her eyes when she woke, her pulse rapid and pounding in her neck until she remembered where she was and what had happened. Someone was moving in the darkness, for a moment she was back in her dorm, talking to her monster in the shadows, she could almost hear him. Longing, near tangible, flooded through her, for her monster and his faith in her…warmth, comfort, affection… She blinked as a set of silver eyes came into view. "That happen often?" He sat down across from her and River realized she was in the lounge off the galley, lying on her side on the couch there. He must be sitting on the coffee table.

"The collapse or the deep Read?" River murmured as she carefully turned her head to meet his eyes. No pain when she moved so she didn't have a migraine as a result of using her talent. His mind wasn't hard to Read like most people's, it hadn't strained hers at all, at least once she’d been touching him. Physical contact had clarified everything once her mind was opened to his. It had been the force of his feelings and thoughts that had overwhelmed her. Proof that he’d been more in control than he thought when he’d grabbed her in his bunk or she’d have been shaking and likely incoherent with the onslaught of his thoughts and emotions. But from what he’d said…he’d considered himself wild, like an animal in a trap.

She looked at him thoughtfully, it had been a long time since she'd met someone with a mind like his, and even the Operative hadn't had such clear, defined mental borders. The Operative’s emotions had been crippled, his personality gone, and thus he had no need of the control Riddick had over his mind and feelings. What discipline the Operative had wasn’t developed over time with practice. It had been inflicted on him, artificial and easily broken. Likely Riddick’s had developed over time and practice, out of need.

"Either, both," Riddick’s voice had quieted from his usual unconcerned rumble in deference perhaps to what he thought was her illness or pain. That voice of his still felt like warm velvet on her skin, it caressed her ears and teased her lips into wanting to smile. Even when he was angry, that furious growl that had accompanied his hand around her throat still had a pleasurable sound. Not that she'd been in any condition to appreciate it at the time.

"Can't do a Read like that on most people," River tried to push herself up and scowled when she felt dizzy. Of course, that could be from lack of food. "Their brains... it's like wading through a muddy swamp in a tornado. I'd need to know them very well or they'd have to be meditating; calmed."

"You always react like that?" Curiosity, slightly morbid, colored his sensual voice. River frowned and opened her mind again deliberately seeking his thoughts. Amazing how hard it was for her to Read him when they weren’t touching.

She couldn't help the laugh that erupted from her throat, "Thinks his brain did something bad to her. She can Read him, but he thinks he is to blame for her collapse." The Reader shook her head, "Couldn't be further from the truth."

"What then?" He was really curious now, wondering why she'd collapsed.

"A beautiful mind, a strong heart, no food, no meditation or exercise beyond vent crawling, and the stress of attempting a rescue," River sighed. "You…feel everything…vividly, but even that… Combination of all things. Beyond foolish of me to Read you when I was in that condition. Was so angry...didn't think. You remind me…" She shook her head, “Bothers me.”

"You got that pissed about me telling you to put on more clothes," He sounded incredulous and River giggled again.

"No idea how people see her, can only view her as himself," River pushed herself up and swayed only to have a large hand steady her. He'd stood without a sound and put a hand under her elbow before she began to wobble again.

"Sit down; I'll get you somethin' to eat and you can explain," It was more an order than a suggestion. And Riddick didn't give her much of a choice, lifting her up and setting her on the counter next to the stovetop. He flicked a dim light on over the cooling cabinets, a concession to her eyes most likely, since he seemed to have no trouble with the darkness, and River watched as he pulled a couple of cans out of dry storage. He worked silently, opening the containers and pouring the contents into a wok before sticking something else in the oven.

It was interesting to watch him work. Jayne had been one of the few men she knew who cooked well. Shepherd Book had taught him a lot more than she'd realized before the older man had gone. And the gunhand had a good memory for things as long as they weren't written down. By the time she'd left Jayne had become near as good of a cook as Kaylee when it came to dealing with protein and canned food.

Riddick seemed to have a similar amount of skill, but he didn't talk while he cooked like Jayne did. It was odd to watch someone work so silently and so comfortable with being watched as he did so. "You're so used to being alone, but you don't mind me watching you cook," River said finally. "Is it because you spent so much time in prisons that you're used to eyes on you?" She’d gotten that much from his thoughts, that he had a history with a lot of time in slams or on the run.

"Probably part of it," He shrugged as he stirred the contents of the wok. "Never did have much in the way of privacy growing up. Got used to having eyes on me. Never bothered me. Specially considering I was usually keeping an eye on folks right back."

"Because no one sneaks up on you," River murmured thoughtfully. "You let me touch you then, up on the bridge." She had wondered, he'd been so adamant that she leave, but her touch hadn't startled him.

"Figured you'd try to jerk me around or something, you being that pissed off," He admitted. "Didn't think I'd feel that hand just..." Hot silver eyes looked at her in the dim light, "No one touches me, not willingly, not without coin or wanting something."

"Plenty of women touch you," She argued. "With only your touch in return as payment." She raised a skeptical eyebrow at him, daring him to deny it. It had been easy to see in his thoughts, the many women he'd had, none of them any more important to him than a shower or a change of clothes.

"And none of 'em ever wanted more than a good fuck out of me," Riddick shrugged at her. "None of 'em touched me like you did. Though seems like you...wanted something else."

"Wanted to understand," River admitted. "I was angry with you." His hands moved, circling her waist and lifting her down from the counter. She was guided, gently but firmly, over to the table and given a chair. Plates, the wok of food, chopsticks and a basket full of dumplings arrived on the table within a few minutes and he took the seat on an angle from hers.

"Yeah, see that's what I don't get," He admitted with a nod of his head as he filled up her plate. "What got you so mad?"

"You keep telling me to cover up," She sighed. "It…well, in the vernacular, it pissed me off. There's nothing provocative about what I'm wearing." She looked down at her clothing and shook her head, "It's not like I'm..."

"Nothing provocative about..." Riddick was staring at her and one thick finger traced the exposed white skin of her arm. "Are you insane?"

"No," She retorted. "My brother had me tested." She gave him a half grin as she ate more of the meal. "I'm wondering about you though. If you actually find me attractive. This shirt doesn’t even show cleavage."

"If I--” He was staring at her as if she really was crazy. "You collapsed after...whatever it was you did, Reading me, but you can't tell?"

"You haven't had a woman in a while," She shrugged at him. "That doesn't mean I should have to wear a burnoose."

His look hadn't changed, if anything he seemed to be of the opinion that she was most definitely ready for the bughouse. "You said something about how other men would describe you. That you weren't sweet."

" _Bái mù yáng guǐ zi_ ," River muttered half irked with him and half with her past ‘suitors’. "I'm skinny. I'm dangerous. I was turned into a mind reading assassin and I'm a genius. I'm not sweet. The kindest thing any man who wasn't my family has ever said about me was that I was a harpy. One of the more educated called me a shrew. On the Rim, and most of the Border I’m too pale, too skinny. In the Core…well, I’m too independent and tend to discard the formality and all the rules of behavior they require." She gestured at her slender body, "There is nothing enticing enough about me to make any man forget that."

A blaze of fury and lust seemed to erupt from his skin as he stared at her. "Nothing enticing," He ground the words out from between clenched teeth. "Well I might be a foreign devil but I'm not blind or stupid." He visibly reined himself in and his fingertips touched her cheek, feather light and full of desire. “Why don’t you take a look at how I see you? Then tell me you aren’t enticing.”

She’d never had someone touch her that their thoughts hadn’t tried to invade her mind. The Operative had been the one exception, but that had been due to his lack of emotion; a fleeting encounter by pure chance on her part and calculation on his when the crew had been evacuated from Universe’s moon. Thoughts were carried by feelings and the more strongly someone felt the pushier their thoughts became. Unless they were skilled in the art of meditation, like Inara had been. Or, apparently, unless they were Riddick.

River pressed her hand to his jaw carefully and slowly let her barriers down. Firm jaw, smooth skin under her fingers, shaved clean for the moment. He became simultaneously easier to Read and more difficult. His emotions were carefully controlled now (because she was touching him?) but his thoughts were laid out like a library. Under women, subsection attractive women, a file neatly labeled River, and there it was…exactly how he saw her. Not as skinny or pallid or shrewish. Spirited, elegant and dangerous, like a stiletto. A study in contrasts to his strange eyes. Even holding her by her neck he’d been cataloging everything about her, from the flashing darkness of her eyes to the pale softness of her skin.

“He…does not see her as anyone else does,” She murmured. For once she was surprised. “Likes the sharp tongue. Enjoys her lack of fear.”

“Pretty rare someone’s not afraid of me,” He told her quietly, turning his face into her palm and rubbing his lips over the heel of her hand. Soft lips for such a strong man. “Especially a woman who’s had my hands around her throat.” An image of her holding her knives, sliding them into their sheaths, outlined in the red of lust.

“Easily forgotten and forgiven as he was not aware of her purpose on the boat. And given your reaction to cryo, I was lucky you were so controlled. It was very, very, stupid to underestimate you,” River shrugged that off. Now it was his turn to be surprised. He’d thought half of her irritation with him had been due to his initial treatment of her. To learn that all of it was due to being told to cover herself was unexpected. His slight inhalation and rapid analysis of what he smelled was amazing to watch. He interpreted scents and body language with enough accuracy that he might as well be a Reader himself. “He is lucky.” She remarked.

“Oh?” He seemed ready to disagree.

“Hides his intelligence behind his large frame and accent,” She reluctantly took her hand off his cheek and caught a flash of disappointment from him as her touch was removed. “If the Academy had found you they’d have experimented on you the way they did me.” The clarity of his emotions faded and with them her ability to Read his thoughts clearly.

“Sounds like prison,” He commented and ate some of what he’d put in his own dish, if belatedly. “Where is it?”

“Core world,” River shrugged. “Exact whereabouts unknown, though they could be extrapolated from gathered data.”

“Might be worth a look see,” He suggested. “If only to blow the place up.”

“First things first,” She shook her head and ate some more. “Will we go to Deadwood and deal with the mercs or not?”

He sat back and looked at her, “Welland wasn’t any great shakes at flying. Or charting a course. We’ve got some time to decide.” Silver eyes made no secret of wandering over her face and body, “Let’s let it sit for a spell. Sleep on it. We can talk about it more in the morning.”

River nodded slowly, “It is late. Been up almost twenty hours straight.” His sharp glance had her shrugging, “Didn’t dare sleep with the men wandering. Then needed to explore _Liberty’s_ duct system and release the prisoner.”

He shook his head, “Pick a bunk that ain’t been contaminated, or you can sleep in the passenger dorms if you like.”

“Will sleep in the dorms,” She nodded again and added. “Similar to her room on _Serenity_. A comfort on a strange boat. Until he decides if he’s going to keep her or throw her back.” She couldn’t be certain which of those options to hope for. Certainly, he would make life interesting. And it would be nice to sail on the same boat for a while. But the peculiarities of her gift, the need to do something about the things she Felt or Saw or Heard… she could never stay on a ship too long, something always pulled her away. The likelihood of the same thing happening while she was on _Liberty_ was extremely high. It might be better that she didn’t grow attached.

“You ain’t a fish you know,” Riddick called after her when she grabbed her bags and made her way to the passenger dorms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So River is confounding Riddick a bit, just like he is her. This story is pretty much completed. Minor editing and formatting need to be done and as always I’m trying to make sure I don’t do anything to mess up the continuity or contradict myself. We’ll have about eleven chapters and a very small epilogue at the end. I’ll post once a week.
> 
> Hopefully that will get us through this quarantine. I don’t have any others completed yet though I have one really long epic that I’m working on in between other things.
> 
> In the meantime, I’m glad you’re enjoying this and I love reading your reviews/comments. Thanks for taking the time to read.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> Kě wù de lǎo bào jūn (horrible old tyrant)
> 
> Jiàn huò (bitch)
> 
> Tā mā de dì yù (fucking hell)
> 
> chǔn bèn (stupid)
> 
> nī zi (little girl)
> 
> Nǐ zài jiǎng shén me pì huà (What shit/the fuck are you saying)
> 
> bái mù (stupid / Lit. white-eyed, blind / not understanding the situation and reacting in a wrong way as a result)
> 
> chī xiàn (crazy / insane)
> 
> Wǒ xiǎng mèi ěr mèixīn biàn shítou (I will close my ears and my heart and I will be a stone)
> 
> yáng guǐ zi (foreign devil / term of abuse for Westerners)
> 
> Script Chinese:
> 
> Wo de ma he ta de feng kuang de wai sheng dou! (script - holy mother of god and all her wacky nephews)


	4. Three

Out of homesickness she chose a dorm that was placed similarly to the one she’d had on _Serenity_. The rooms were decorated in greys and blues rather than orange and brown, but the layout was familiar. Above her she could feel Riddick putting the leftover food away for a snack later and head down to his bunk after he’d set the ship into night mode.

The lights in the hall dimmed and she smiled, pulling on a pair of sleep pants and a camisole, forgoing the pleasure of sleeping nude since she and Riddick were the only ones on the ship and if something went wrong they’d have to take care of it. Taking the time to get dressed in an emergency could mean the difference between sailing on and sitting dead, adrift in the Black.

The room was so familiar she instinctively looked under the bed as she took her hair out of its braid and nearly recoiled in shock, “You’re here.” Either she was losing her mind again or it, he, her monster, was real. It felt like a win-win situation, but the possibility of mental instability couldn’t be ignored. No…she hadn’t lost time, hadn’t overly confused Riddick so she’d spoken normally, and certainly he would have noted it if she’d been displaying irrational behavior. So, despite her belief after Miranda, her monster was real. As real as she was. Although she had no explanation for who or what he/she/it was.

“Where else’d I be?” He seemed to think his being under her bed in the shadows was completely normal.

“You were gone,” She murmured sadly. “Found Miranda, but I lost you. For years.”

“Sorry, had some…trouble, you might say,” His quiet rumble of a voice was conciliatory. “You seem like you’re feeling better.”

“Fixed her brain, mostly. No more drugs,” River told him with a half-smile. “Thought when you were gone after that you were part of my crazy. Lost you. Wasn’t sure I wanted to be sane.”

“That ain’t any way to talk,” He admonished. “Told you, you’ve gotta do what’s right for you, not everyone else around. You feel better not hearing everything all the time? Makes things easier for you?”

“It does,” She nodded. “But it’s been lonely. No one to talk to about it. And most everyone thinks she’s still a little girl. My brother especially.”

“Show ‘em you’re not,” Sound advice. But he’d always given that. He had a singular gift for cutting straight through all the _fèi huà_ to the heart of what lay beneath.

“Did,” She grinned at the shadows that seemed to move beneath the bed. “Learned and grew and struck out on her own.”

“But you’re careful right?” She’d forgotten how he’d worried over her, cautioning her against behaviors that would make others look at her even more strangely. Bluntly honest at times but always with her well-being at heart.

“Very,” River nodded. “Always careful. Only told one person what I can do. Someone with as much to lose as she has.”

“Smart,” He sounded like he was nodding. “But you can’t always trust that’s enough to silence someone. You have to, you put a shiv in them and take off. Best people to keep secrets are dead men.”

She giggled, “But the dead talk to her. All secrets are hers for the keeping.”

“I’d better watch my step, then hadn’t I?” His smile showed in his voice, “You don’t gotta worry about me disappearing again though.”

“No?” She tilted her head. His voice seemed so familiar, tugging at her, but she couldn’t match it to anything in her memory. Not precisely. Nothing that matched the comfort and feeling of safety conveyed with his deep affectionate tone.

“No,” His words came out colored with irritation. “Figured out why I disappeared on you. Happens when I get certain drugs in my system. The drugs block whatever it is lets you hear me. Whatever lets me find you.”

“She won’t let anyone give him those drugs again,” River nearly growled herself. “If he will tell her where he is, she will find him. Keep the drugs away from him.” She bit her lip, “Don’t want to lose you again. Hurt, to look for you and not find you.”

“I’m sorry,” He did sound regretful. “I’m at liberty now though. Not much happening here, why don’t you tell me what you’ve been doing?”

Keeping in mind that she’d have to sleep eventually she gave him a general idea of what had been going on in her life since she’d talked to him last. Details would have to wait until another night. And she’d learned caution since regaining her sanity. As true a friend as her monster had been to her, she had no guarantees he would remain so. Nor any promise that he wouldn’t disappear again. Better to gloss over things like her Feelings. During her madness she hadn’t been able to articulate them. And now…time would tell.

* * *

When she woke up her monster wasn’t there, but he really hadn’t ever appeared during _Serenity’s_ day cycle so that wasn’t much of a surprise. Though with her sanity in question day and night were…fluid mentally. She’d wondered, in the odd moments she’d indulged herself with thoughts of him, if the connection she had with him was purely mental. She’d never found him in other shadows, other places. Something about seeing into the darkness beneath the cot in her room…childhood stories coming to life in her mind? A mental state that enabled her to reach out to him?

What happened to him when she looked into those shadows under the bed? Did he fall into that same state? Did he go still and talk to ghosts, make people around him wonder about his sanity? She’d have to ask, how it happened with him, how he saw her, if he knew why...(now that she had sanity enough to ask the questions). And the mental acuity to realize just how crazy the entire situation was. It shouldn’t be possible. Maybe she really was going mad again.

Riddick was already awake, working out with pullups and pushups, resistance training with his own body weight in lieu of equipment. River pulled on another pair of cargo pants and her boots over clean undergarments and found a shirt that while tight, did cover more of her than yesterday’s tee-shirt.

Brushing her hair out she slipped an elastic around her wrist and walked out to the cargo bay to see Riddick hanging from under the catwalks doing a series of pullups. He stared at her for a moment, silver eyes thoughtful but didn’t comment as she braided her hair.

Parkour was something she’d enjoyed as a child, the geometry and angles of it had appealed to her brain while the exercise had been good for her body. Ballet had simply given her more grace. Half of the places she’d ended up in on _Serenity_ wouldn’t have been possible without those old disciplines.

He seemed ready to come down when she nodded and headed towards the steps at a run, rebounding off the side, jumping to the railing and swinging down to hang from her knees to do sit-ups beside him. “Is that not how he arrived at this point?” She asked in between crunches.

He’d chuckled and continued his workout. “I generally jump from up high, but it was fun to see you climb up.”

She’d giggled and continued to exercise.

* * *

“So, what has been decided,” River regarded him over breakfast. She’d cooked this time, wanting to show off what Jayne and Kaylee had taught her and if his devouring the food was any indication, she’d succeeded in tempting his appetite. He’d complimented her on it as well, not content to let her assume his appetite was based on simple hunger and not enjoyment.

“I’m not saying we will. But… Like to know,” Riddick regarded her thoughtfully. “If you were gonna take ‘em out. How’d you go about doing it?”

River considered, “With some of my old crew, go in as a prisoner, rigged cuffs, fake cryo cuff, knives hidden on my person. Wait for payment and then spring into action. Death for all those who would purchase the girl.”

He nodded, “That’s a good way to do it. Up close, you can be sure they’re dead.” He looked at his huge frame and her tiny one, “Don’t think that’ll turn the trick here.”

“No,” She agreed with a half-smile. “They wouldn’t believe you’d been caught thusly, not even with the girl playing the honey pot.” She considered a bit more. “Could send a wave from _Liberty_. Have them meet the ship, use text only so it sounds like Welland contacting them. The girl could greet them at the bay doors and lead them in, explaining that Riddick is in cryo in a small room. Kill them once they’re inside.”

“Leaves a trail back to us,” Riddick mused. “But if we didn’t dock at the port, set down out in the country, it’s more doable.”

“Could also simply find their location and take out my sniper rifle,” She offered.

“Can’t be as sure of the kill then,” He seemed to be considering the merits of that plan.

River smirked at him and tapped her temple meaningfully, “Reader. Impossible to play dead with me. Dead or not dead. No middle of the road.” He clearly hadn’t considered that aspect of her abilities and his gaze sharpened as he thought over the possibilities.

“That sounds like a plan that is the least amount of trouble,” He nodded. “Just need to pick a spot and do something to draw them out.”

River grinned, “Then he agrees getting rid of two mercs is a good idea?”

“Yeah,” Riddick nodded. “Two less mercs in the ‘verse is a good thing. Especially since those two are set on putting me in a slam.”

“Even though his name was officially cleared,” River shook her head. “Irksome.”

“Yeah,” He nodded.

“She runs into the same thing,” The Reader began to clear the dishes. “Very stupid people out there hunting other people.” She grinned again, “And we can steal from them after.”

* * *

The denouement of their plan ended up being…anticlimactic. It hadn’t been difficult to learn where the two mercs had holed up on Deadwood. And Buddha knew there was enough empty country on the planet for them to set _Liberty_ down far from any port or settlement. Riddick had watched with open curiosity as she took a case from within her large duffle and opened it to verify she had everything she needed. He hadn’t offered to carry it for her or suggested that he be the one to do the shooting. Satisfying that he’d give her the opportunity to prove herself.

Watching her assemble and then set up her rifle and scope had gotten him even more curious though, “Where’d you learn to do all this? That Academy you said trained you?”

River shook her head as she calculated the windspeed, “Combat training was more hand to hand. Training with weapons involved knives, swords and handguns. In all probability distance weapons were to be next but my brother broke me out before I was taught more than the basics.” She indicated her sniper rifle, “For all intents and purposes a rifle works just like a handgun. Although the greater distance between the shooter and target must be taken into account. But Jayne was the one who taught me about how snipers work. More than point and shoot.”

“The gunhand on your old boat,” Riddick recalled from a prior conversation.

“Hmm…” She began to adjust her scope. “Breath control, windspeed and direction, how all conditions effect the path of the bullet and distance it will travel. Acted as spotter for me until he knew I could do it myself. Set up a deer blind and used it to teach me. We ate well.” River slanted a smile at him, “Only thing he didn’t have to teach me was how to aim. That I knew.”

“Guess you would,” He nodded. “Be a bit of a pain to hike over to Toombs homestead once we’re done here.”

“Would. But Trask sent Toombs a wave to ride over, wants to talk about Welland’s wave regarding Riddick.” She smirked, “Worried it is a trap. Also worried that if it is not, they will have to pay more than they want in order to get Riddick.”

He smirked back at her, “The creed is greed, always has been.” He nodded towards the small house, “Think Toombs is on his way.”

“Dust trail,” River nodded. “When he reaches the edge of the paddock I’ll take the shot.” She put her eye to the scope, “That should have Trask leaving the house to investigate.”

“Tricky shot,” Riddick commented quietly. She could appreciate that he didn’t want to disturb her but him being there was very distracting. She hadn’t been able to help noticing he was very large, more muscular than Jayne and, unlike Jayne, had an appealing lack of facial hair. He didn’t use colognes or aftershaves since he didn’t smell like either, only a simple shaving cream she recognized because the men on _Serenity_ had used something similar, and regular soap.

“Hmm… easier because I can Read where he intends to dismount and tie his horse,” She murmured. “Trask doesn’t hear the horse yet.” She tapped the addition to her sniper rifle, “Won’t hear the bullet either. Jayne has a talent for tracking and gun-smithing. Still does work on mine now and then. Made me a silencer.” His low whistle of appreciation made her smile, “Have to introduce you.”

“Don’t know that’s such a good idea,” Riddick muttered. “I’m not the type of guy you introduce to your family.”

She couldn’t take her eyes off the approaching target but thankfully talking didn’t interfere with her aim, “Why not? Only wanted by mercs to turn into slams that aren’t picky about the law.”

She felt rather than saw his shrug, “Most folks tend to think I’m dangerous.”

River couldn’t help the giggle that burst out of her, “Family knows I am.”

His palm rested on her back and rubbed her spine for a moment, “Yeah well, different for you. I’m not their family.”

“Jayne would like you,” She smiled as she shifted minutely. “Not sure about everyone else. It would depend.”

“On what?” His curiosity was bad as a cat’s.

“Hmm… what relationship they think you have with me,” River squeezed off a shot as Toombs looped the reins around a fencepost and smiled in satisfaction as the man crumpled to the ground, heart shot.

The next quarter of an hour went almost exactly as she’d predicted. Riddick had found her smug satisfaction in the course of events amusing, but he’d conceded she had the right to be damn proud of her work. And they’d gone on to thoroughly loot both merc houses in order to make up for the diversion to Deadwood. Money enough to pay for the fuel had more than satisfied Riddick, he’d been openly amused at the situation.

* * *

Her monster was in a good mood that night, practically purring as she sat down on the floor to talk with him, “What’d you do today?”

“Lots of fun,” She grinned. “She got to shoot at bad people. Hit them too. Dead bad men.”

“Bad people huh,” He seemed tickled at that. “I got to do a bit of that myself.”

“What else has he been doing?” River settled against the wall, happy to listen to his voice.

* * *

She was a bit sleepy the next day, staying up too late talking with her monster made her oversleep a bit, but she still managed to match Riddick’s daily exercise routine.

“Where will he go next?” River had watched as he did his pullups and decided that his muscles bulging as he raised and lowered his body were not good for her equilibrium. Better to work her muscles at a different time than he did. Beginning her kata in the empty space of the cargo bay forced her to concentrate on other things, her movements, breath control, pushing her limits as far as they could go in balance and power. She was still aware of him; she found it impossible to be unaware of Riddick. Like turning your back on a tiger, she decided, you could do it, but you couldn’t forget the predator was there. Not unless you were stupid.

Now she was facing him, winding down with some simple yoga and grinning inwardly at the expression on his face when he saw her bending into different positions. His heated gaze fixed to her body and a slight smile tugging his lips. He hadn’t seemed to hear her question. “Riddick?” His eyes moved to her face without hurry and she repeated herself, “Where will he go next?”

“Oh…got a contact, says he might have some folks I could use as crew, check them out when we meet up on Boros to take on some cargo.” His head tilted, studying her, “Where’d you like me to drop you?”

She sighed her last deep breath out and shook her head, “In no hurry to go anywhere. Unless you’re anxious to get rid of the girl.” River frowned, she was overtired, she was confusing her pronouns more. “Get rid of me I mean. I like your boat. She ticks along very well; your previous engineer did a good job.”

“I knew what you meant the first time around,” He dismissed her clarification as if mildly insulted. “You mean you’d like to hire on as crew?” He folded his arms, “And if you get one of your feelings?”

River rolled her neck and groaned as it popped and snapped in a couple places, “Hmm…” After a moment more of breathing she focused thoughtfully and smiled, “Feelings are saying that staying here will bring nothing but good. More helpful on your boat than roaming around on my own. Things change, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to stay, at least for a while. I might have to go after some time. Or it could be that I can stay. I can’t predict the future.” She shrugged, “But if you did hire me on, I wouldn’t mind a stop on Persephone. I’ve got a storage unit there, I could pick up the rest of my things.”

“Got a lot of ‘em?” Now he obviously was just plain curious and indulging that side of himself, not even bothering to hide it.

She grinned, “A couple of extra guns, ammunition, some dresses and extra work clothing. But mostly it’s my dance gear and books.” River shrugged, “I have a lot of books.”

“Yeah?” She caught a glimpse of a thought, wondering what she liked to read, if she had anything he hadn’t read before and if she’d consider lending him a book if he was polite enough. Typically, he didn’t say any of that. “Well…”

The Reader narrowed her eyes at him and with a bit of effort gained slightly more insight into his thoughts. He wanted her to stay. Wanted to see where this could lead. Wanted to keep talking to her, wanted to touch her, have her touch him, beautiful and willing and didn’t feel like he could push any of that on her. “Could let you look through them, trade books for books, things we haven’t read.” She offered finally. “I saw books in your room that I haven’t read before.”

The offer decided him and he nodded, “All right. You want the job, you’re the ship’s engineer. How are you as a pilot?”

She smiled, “Learned from the best.”

That got her a teasing smirk, “Hadn’t noticed you taking lessons from me.”

“Learned from _Serenity’s_ pilot. Watched everything he did. Piloted _Serenity_ after he was killed.” She shrugged, “ _Liberty_ is a bit shinier, fancier, but the layout and theory are the same.”

“Well…” Now he was really thinking this over, “Tell you what. You land us on Boros, without dinging the paint, or crashing, and you’ve definitely got a job as a backup pilot.” Riddick eyed her with a wicked grin, “And I already know you’re a damn good sniper. You as good with a pistol as you are a rifle?”

“Can shoot with my eyes closed and hit the mark every time,” She boasted and moved past him towards the passenger’s shower. His laugh told her he didn’t quite believe her, but he couldn’t be entirely certain it was a lie since she didn’t smell like deceit.

* * *

She couldn’t stay up late enough to talk with her monster that night. She waited, sketching with a lead pencil on an old sheet of paper for the better part of an hour but he wasn’t there. He hadn’t been able to talk with her every night while she’d been on _Serenity_ , River reminded herself. It was unfair to expect nightly chats when she had no idea what was going on in his life. If he truly was real and not a fabrication of a psychosis. Finally, she went to bed hoping they’d talk tomorrow.

* * *

Riddick was in something of a mood when she woke up that morning. He wasn’t quite as surly as Jayne could be, didn’t snap or lose his temper over the least little thing the way Mal could and he didn’t get stiff necked and terribly proper like Simon. In a way Riddick’s bad mood reminded her of Shepherd Book. Mercury eyes got tighter around the edges and tension mounted his shoulders like a barrel rider on a cow horse.

“He…You… are all right?” River inquired cautiously, forcing herself to use the right language.

“Told you, you don’t have to do that, I understand what you mean just fine,” He said flatly, avoiding the question.

“He is…irked by something,” She murmured and set the table. “If it is something she did…”

“It’s nothing you did,” He was painfully controlled in his movements, everything precise as if he could let fly and break everything and everyone around him. Like something in him craved an outlet he denied himself. “You’re fine.”

“He needs a whore maybe?” River tilted her head, trying to match his mood to Jayne’s irritability when he hadn’t gotten to visit a brothel in a while.

“What the—” He turned from the stove and stared at her. “Why would you think that?”

“Jayne would get…fractious when he was not able to avail himself of purchased company,” River explained. “And he would tell the girl to go away.”

“Likely didn’t want to forget himself,” Riddick seemed startled out of his own moodiness as he explained what could have been Jayne’s problem. “Know what that’s like.”

“Then he does need a whore?” River bit her lip, “There are whores on Boros. Jayne visits them a lot. They’re clean at the house he goes to.”

“No,” His voice went flat. “I don’t need a whore.” He looked her up and down, “Doubt any whore could compare to you anyway so what’d be the point.”

“Then it is the girl,” She frowned. “I’m a problem.”

“No!” His palm slapped the counter in a sharp sound to emphasize his reply and he took the pan of breakfast off the stove. “You are not the problem.” She watched as he took a breath and let it out slowly. “I’m off schedule is all. Got a routine going these days, mostly at the end of the day. And I screwed it up sending waves to my friend about crew.” Riddick frowned,

“Oh,” She began to pour the coffee into mugs, vividly conscious of him watching her.

“It’s…” Riddick began and shook his head. “It’s just craziness.” He brought the food to the table and took his mug of coffee sipping it gratefully. “I wouldn’t know where to begin to explain.”

“Begin at the beginning, go on through the middle and stop at the end,” She raised an eyebrow at him, and he chuckled shaking his head.

“Yeah, sounds easy. But it ain’t, not really.” She watched as he added food to her plate and then his. “I… There’s always been something different about me.”

“Does not owe her an explanation,” River murmured. “Not if he is not comfortable with it.”

He eyed her for a moment as if evaluating her sincerity, “I got… I guess you could say an old friend, finally got back in touch. We normally talk at night… least we had been.” He shook his head. “It’s been going on most of my life, since before my eyes started to shine. I was…around twelve? At least that’s when I think it started.” River nodded, unwilling to speak for fear of interrupting him. “Before I got the _Liberty_ , I’d had to deal with some mercs, got put in cryo, got out, ended up back in it again. Guess you could say we lost touch. Just recently got in contact.”

Startled, River stared at him, “And you were not able to talk to this person last night?”

“Didn’t get to, no,” He shook his head. “It’s just…more weirdness.” Riddick shrugged, clearly not entirely comfortable under her gaze. For all she knew his childhood friend had been the love of his life before the mercs had caught up to him. It wasn’t any of her business. But she could definitely make certain he had privacy for a wave if he needed it.

“Retire earlier tonight,” She suggested. “Earlier dinner and clean up. Get more time to speak to your friend. She will handle the dishes and cleaning the galley.” She was very well aware of how easily it was to miss a wave from someone far away. Signals overlapped rarely and only at certain times would they carry far enough for a true person to person talk. It was part of the reason letters and personal visits were so treasured.

* * *

That night her monster was waiting for her, a worried growl in his voice, “You all right? Had some stuff to take care of. Sorry…just… things got away from me.”

“She’s fine,” River sank down to the floor. “He is all right? No more mercs?”

“Nah, wasn’t mercs,” He reassured her. “Just work is all. I just was worried you’d be upset. Last time I wasn’t around you had a rough time.”

“Couldn’t stay up so late, was tired from the night before, stayed up talking,” She explained. “Missed each other is all.”

“Huh,” He seemed to be thinking about that. “Well I’m sorry, don’t want to wear you out. Just like talking with you is all.”

“How does he see her?” River asked curiously. “She doesn’t see him well, eyes, voice, shadows… my monster under the bed.”

“Monster,” That seemed to tickle him. “Well… you’re more… sort of like a ghost? Vague. I can tell you’re a girl, a woman, female, from the things you’ve said and because of your voice. But I don’t know if how you sound is what I actually hear. Mostly you drift around, like light that’s warm but not so bright it hurts my eyes. You’re like a dream, I never know if I’m sleeping or awake when I’m talking to you.”

“What does he remember of his dream when he wakes?” She tilted her head, wondering if his memories were as vague and yet strangely clear as her own.

“Only bits and pieces, like I know you but I don’t,” She got the impression he was shaking his head. “Now and then, when I’m awake, I hear something, brings it into focus, like it echoes something you said.” He sighed, “Like to see you in more than just dreams.”

“Could come to him if he could tell her where he is,” River coaxed.

“Thought I told you,” He sounded like he was frowning.

She shook her head, “Said he was free. Never gave a location.” He seemed about to reply when the ship gave a slight shimmy around her and an alarm began to blare. No time to say goodbye, or to explain what was going on. When a ship started shivering around her it was time to move. No telling what the problem would be. Grabbing her pants and pulling them on she raced barefoot out of the dorm and up to the engine room.

Riddick was shouting as she came up the stairs, “Proximity alarm, autopilot powers the engines down automatically.”

“Proximity?” She switched directions hurrying towards him and the bridge, “What do you need me to do?”

“Get in the co-pilot’s chair and help me get this beast backed off so we can get a good look at what we’re sailing towards,” Riddick was speaking over his shoulder as he strode towards the bridge.

The wide shoulders and heavily muscled upper body were very distracting even with the issue of the boat possibly crashing into something. The fact that he was only wearing a pair of sleeping shorts and his legs were as thickly muscled as the rest of him…and she’d lost her train of thought. Not normal, not for her. Her trains of thought did not derail. River frowned at herself and followed him to the bridge, taking the chair across from his and starting up the reverse sequence while he took them off autopilot and shut off the alarm.

After a tense few minutes they got a look at what they’d nearly run into and she sighed, “ _Ō, zhè zhēn shì ge kuàilè de jìnzhǎn_.”

“That’s different…” Riddick frowned at the ship ahead of them. “Very different. And not of the good.”

River shook her head, “Look there.” She pointed towards the side, “Looks like something’s been yanked off of the ship.”

“Grappling hook?” Riddick frowned and moved the _Liberty_ so they could get a better angle, shining one of its running lights on the area in question. “Looks like…broke into the aft airlock.”

“Secondary airlock looks good,” River murmured. “See an ID on the ship?”

“Yeah,” He nodded moving the light over the starboard side of the vessel. “Reads as… _The Albany_ …”

She nodded and began to run the name through the cortex, narrowing the search by the type of ship, “Looks like an old…J-type carrier?” She tilted her head eying the ship’s lines. “Modified though…”

“Guns have been removed,” Riddick observed. “Looks like some of the forward armor too.”

“It’s been retrofitted to carry passengers,” River murmured, her eyes glued to the ship. Memories of another ship, a bloody chandelier of bodies and everything that had followed swam through her mind and she shuddered convulsively before pushing the memories back to the past where they belonged. Forcing her attention back to the cortex, she tried to ignore Riddick’s sideways look at her. He was inhaling, reading her scent for her emotions. “Here it is…” She flicked the image over to the screen in front of him. “The course filed with the port authority on Valentine says they were headed for Blue Sun; the destination was set as Highgate.”

“They either got hit by pirates or Reavers,” Riddick echoed her thoughts grimly.

“Reavers,” River murmured and at the certainty in her tone Riddick turned and looked at her.

“You’re sure?”

She nodded, “I can hear the dead. They’re still screaming.” She took another deep breath, “And I’ve seen this before. It’s their way.”

“Gorram,” He frowned out at the ship. “Any survivors?”

“None that we’d be able to let live,” River took a deep breath and indicated the manifest. “If you’re interested… there’s a small fortune in seed, protein bars and crop supplements.”

“Okay…” Riddick leaned back in his chair and studied the ship for a moment before turning his gaze on her. “I got a few contacts would definitely be interested in that. Anything else we find would just be gravy. But will you be all right? Going in?”

River looked at the ship and nodded slowly. “Think so. Faced Reavers before.” She tilted her head recalling something else from that other ship. “They like to leave traps. For anyone who might dock.”

He nodded thoughtfully, “Can you tell where? We could take a shuttle over if the main airlocks are all trapped.”

“Give her a few minutes,” She frowned at the ship and took several deep breaths, concentrating and sifting through all the screams, of agony and rage, trying to find intent…

Her eyes were dry and she blinked rapidly, rubbing them to ease the slight ache before looking towards Riddick, “The airlock that was torn open…there’s a trap there… and one on the main cargo doors. But we should be able to access the ship by the forward airlock.”

“Okay,” He nodded. “Any idea when they were due on Highgate? Rather not have the Alliance come looking for them while we’re scavenging.”

“Only four days overdue,” River checked the cortex. “Unlikely to be searched for yet. And the ship is large enough that _Liberty_ will not be noticeable under her.”

Riddick glanced over at her and his gaze dipped to the thin camisole covering her upper body but obviously doing nothing for warmth before he looked her in the eye, “Figure we go dark. I can handle the airlocks manually.”

“Hmm…” The strength it would take to manually open and close airlock doors was obviously not a problem for him. With an effort she pushed thoughts of those bulging muscles hard at work to the back of her mind. “Could work. Can’t take our time though. Traps are because the Reavers will want to return.”

“Well, let’s get to it.” His mouth tugged upwards in one corner. “I figure we put on some actual clothes first.”

“Might help,” River rolled her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Okay…don’t kill me. We won’t find out for a bit who River’s monster is. It might seem as if the two of them are being unobservant, not picking up the inadvertent clues they’re both dropping. But they don’t know each other well yet. Riddick is hard for River to read and Riddick…well, we really don’t have his point of view so who knows what’s going through his mind. I worked really hard to make it not completely obvious in their conversations.
> 
> I’m hoping it comes across the way I intend, two people speaking of the same thing but so differently neither one of them makes the connection.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> fèi huà (bullshit/nonsense / rubbish / superfluous words)
> 
> Ō, zhè zhēn shì ge kuàilè de jìnzhǎn (Oh, this is a happy development)


	5. Four

The derelict was just as horrifying as the one she’d remembered. The cargo bay didn’t stretch upwards like most bays, so rather than a chandelier the Reavers had turned the passengers into a disturbing flayed butterfly collection. Riddick’s face had frozen like steel at the sight and stench of several hundred bodies. “What’n the unholy fuck…” He’d stopped for a moment and she’d turned to look at him. For all that he spoke so casually of mercs, killing and slams, his expression made clear that this sort of atrocity was new to him.

“Reavers…crave violence. They don’t simply kill. They need the screams of their victims, torture them as much as possible…” She recalled Zoë’s words to Simon, “If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh and sew our skins into their clothing and if we're very, very, lucky, they'll do it in that order.” It took an effort to keep her voice steady with the dead screaming in her ears, “We can’t do anything for them.”

“Yeah,” He took a shallow breath and moved forward with her to the area where the most valuable cargo was kept under lock and key. “That’s kinda obvious.”

“Keep an eye out,” River told him quietly. It had been a while since she’d had to deal with ghosts like these, Riddick’s ship might have had ghosts of its own, but she hadn’t seen them so far.

“For what?” But he took her at her word and stood with his back to her while she used the sticky and gun to burn through the lock.

“Survivors.” It took a few minutes for the paste to work once it was activated but finally she was able to break off the lock and latch and pull the door open.

“Survivors,” He repeated. “You really think anyone could survive Reavers?”

“Not without turning into a Reaver themselves,” River shook her head. “Explanations are for back on the boat. _Zhēn tā mā yào mìng. Zhù yì_.”

His agreement went unsaid, but Riddick turned and began to pull the crates out, “Should be easy enough to move. They’ve got those retractable castors on them.” He stacked them three high each and handed her several straps.

When they were done creating their small convoy of crates River could feel her skin crawling and Riddick’s gaze was sharp on her. “What’s wrong?”

“Hunger and rage,” She murmured, shaking her head to clear it. “Ringing in my ears.”

“Right,” He seemed to understand that she wasn’t talking about anything he could hear. “Let’s make this quick then.”

“Drop the goods in _Liberty’s_ hold, hit the galley and engine room for food and parts,” She suggested more for something to think about than any need to coordinate their efforts.

“Yeah, that’s the first order of things,” He agreed. “After that, quick look in the aft cargo hold, see if anything strikes us as valuable but we’re off the boat in an hour at the most.”

“Good.” River nodded as they reached the airlock. Riddick muscled the doors open and between the two of them they pushed the goods into the hold.

* * *

“Told him to watch for survivors,” River doused the bite marks liberally with the antiseptic saline solution.

“Yeah,” Riddick was growling in irritation. “But you didn’t mention they’d be ready for a bughouse.”

She rolled her eyes and wiped the wound liberally with ointment before sealing a bandage over it and moving on to the next one. “Said they’d become Reavers themselves. Thought it would be obvious. No normal person could see all that and be sane afterwards.” River blinked as Mal’s words to the Alliance officer came back to her, “Looked right into the face of it. Was made to stare. The darkness. Kind of darkness you can't even imagine. Blacker than the space it moves through.”

Riddick looked at her, she could feel his gaze as she stared into the past, “They made him watch. He probably tried to turn away, and they wouldn't let him. You call him a survivor? He's not. A man comes up against that kind of will, the only way to deal with it, I suspect, is to become it. He's following the only course left to him. First, he'll try to make himself look like one. Cut on himself, desecrate his flesh and then, he'll start acting like one.”

Coming back to the present and Riddick’s dark mercury gaze she could feel herself blush, “ _Serenity_ came upon a wreck like that one…a ‘survivor’ had been left…Mal realized too late what he’d become.”

“Yeah, I get that. Now,” He didn’t nod, not with the wound on his neck. “We come across something…you’ve dealt with and I haven’t, in the future, a little more explanation would be helpful,” Riddick clenched his jaw against the sting of the cleanser. “Before we go into the situation, not after.”

“Will keep it in mind.” She sealed up the bitemark. “Only one more.” The one on his neck was the worst, coming very near to his carotid and she used a bit more care cleaning it out, making sure it didn’t need stitches. The only reason she hadn’t treated it first was he’d told her flat out the bites on his shoulder, arm and back felt worse. Even though their first meeting had him held by cryo, it felt odd to see him injured.

“Relax,” He admonished her mildly. “I’m not bleeding to death. Trust me, I’ve been shot and stabbed enough to know.”

“Very close to the carotid artery,” She murmured and smoothed the bandage into place.

“It bled more, cleaned it out. The others didn’t. People got filthy mouths.” Riddick shrugged. He’d gone in search of her after disposing of his attackers only to find her dispatching one of her own. He’d been more concerned about the fight than River. Riddick had grabbed up her sack of parts and informed her that they were leaving before anything else happened.

She’d rolled her eyes at him but Read enough to know that there was no use arguing with him. She did force him to make a slight detour and instructed him to take three trunks from the aft cargo hold. Ghosts were good for something if she could stand to listen to them long enough.

Riddick had dropped everything in the hold and taken the stairs at a sprint, calling back to her that she should get the engines going. She’d called up to the bridge that they were ready and it hadn’t been five seconds later that they were detaching from the derelict and flying at a hard burn towards who knew where.

Only then had he come back to the engine room to see if she had any injuries that he hadn’t noticed at the time. Finally it had been her turn to insist that he get treated for the bitemarks she could see tearing through his shirt and on his neck.

“What’s in the trunks you were so insistent we grab,” He asked her when she’d smoothed the last bandage over the bitemarks.

“Ghosts whisper,” River shrugged at him and moved away, disposing of the bandage wrappers and empty tubes before leaving the infirmary. Riddick caught up to her as she reached the trunks in question and began to pick the locks. These being simpler locks and as they weren’t on a time limit, she used the lockpicks Mal had given her.

“Yeah?” He stood behind her and she could feel his curiosity. “What do they whisper?”

“Secrets,” She flung the trunk open and revealed the treasures inside it. Someone had taken advantage of the relatively innocent ship of settlers to smuggle platinum out to the rim. Likely it would be melted down and diluted with a baser metal for the benefit of some criminal kingpin.

His eyes didn’t quite bulge out but he whistled low in appreciation, “All of them have platinum?”

“Two. The other has silver along with precious and semi-precious stones. Criminal enterprise does not take credit,” She explained quietly. “Recommend hiding these trunks.”

“Yeah,” Riddick nodded. “C’mon I’ll show you one of the hidey holes I favor.”

* * *

By the time they’d gotten all the goods stowed she was ready to fall asleep on her feet. Riddick walked her down to her dorm and she could feel his concern that she’d fall and hurt herself if he didn’t. “You know you can pick a crew bunk,” He reminded her. “If you’re stayin’ on, might be beneficial to be closer to the engine room. I cleaned ‘em all out so they don’t stink of those pirates.”

“Hmm… thinking on it,” She nodded. “But my monster is in this dorm.” She smiled at him and entered the dorm, pulling off her boots and collapsing on the bed, asleep in seconds.

* * *

It had been a couple of days since they’d run across the derelict and she’d chosen a bunk, one directly across the hall from Riddick’s with a slightly larger bed but not a full double bunk. It gave her more space for her books when she finally got them. She’d been pleased to discover her monster hadn’t disappeared when she’d changed sleeping spaces and had spent a good hour chatting with him the next night.

Riddick had given her a few looks she couldn’t quite interpret the day after the derelict, but he hadn’t said anything. Despite his obvious curiosity he was keeping his thoughts to himself. Though the speculative looks were many. Annoying that she couldn’t Read him clearly without touching him. Emotions were easier but he was still so contained…

Their arrival on Boros came without any undue fanfare, River smiled, pleased with how easily she landed the _Liberty_ , proving that she might not be a genius pilot, except in a very literal sense, but she could fly technically well. Riddick had grinned back at her when they kissed dirt, “Guess I got an emergency co-pilot.”

“Planning to hire a pilot? So he can be Captain?” River tilted her head to look at him curiously as she slowly turned her chair to face him.

He shook his head, “Nah. I’ll hire someone who can do double duty, like you. But I like flying too much.” He did seem more relaxed, comfortable in the pilot’s chair, swiveling it lazily. It being his ship tension didn’t exactly ride him but clearly the bridge felt like home.

“Then you need a gunhand?” She frowned trying to clarify.

“Mostly a couple guys who can help with cargo and aren’t bad with a gun.” Riddick shrugged, “I haven’t ever had someone as second in command or anything like that. Never found anyone I wanted as First Mate.” He leaned forward, putting the ship into its rest mode, not dark but what he called ‘ground posture’. Riddick, she’d learned, should have caution tattooed somewhere prominent upon his anatomy.

River considered him thoughtfully, “Doesn’t trust anyone enough to put them in charge of your boat when you’re not here. Men of _guāng míng zhèng dà_ are rare.”

“Well that’s close to true,” He was honest enough to admit that. “I got a good nose for when people are lying but sometimes that doesn’t always pick up the long game.”

She nodded, “She can understand that. Happens with Reading too, though not as often. And often _huò bù dān xíng_.” The few times it had happened she’d still been on _Serenity_. She’d had a sense of unease, one of her Feelings, but nothing concrete to share with Mal. They hadn’t gone into the job blind but it had been a near thing that they’d gotten out of it with the goods and coin. Jayne had joked that even with a Reader Mal’s luck would still pull them into problems.

“But this sorta set up isn’t what you’re used to,” Dark silver eyes studied her, that powerful body relaxed in his chair, like a lazy tiger. “That something you can handle?”

River took a moment to think about it, what he was really asking and nodded slowly. “So long as it’s made clear that you are my superior, no one else, unless you hire someone as a First Mate. I have issues with people who _shuō fèi huà_ or order me around when they are not competent. As if age, height or gender alone lends skill.” She shrugged when he raised an eyebrow in a silent question, “I don’t mind something less structured. But I won’t tolerate someone thinking they can tell me what to do when they aren’t you. You are the Captain of this ship.”

That got a chuckle out of him, “When have you ever done what I tell you?” Clearly he didn’t mind, his good humor quirking that sensual mouth upwards.

“Doesn’t order her around unless it’s for the good of the ship,” She reminded him. “Then she obeys.” Some spark of mischief inspired her to add, “She doesn’t like being told what to do unless it’s in bed.”

That sparked a very hot gleam in those silver eyes, “Now that is all sorts of interesting.” He nearly purred the words at her. The cortex squawking about an incoming wave drew him up short and she giggled at the frustrated sigh that blew past his lips. “We are going to continue that conversation,” He called down the hallway after her and she gave him a cheerful salute as she headed down the stairs and hallway to her bunk.

“As you wish,” She laughed and dropped down the ladder to her bunk, pulling out some nicer clothing suitable for a meet and greet with Riddick’s old friend.

* * *

Riddick was down in the cargo bay, talking with a very large burly man of indeterminate age. River blinked and vaulted over the railing of the stairs, hitting the deck at a run and flinging herself at her old friend. “Monty!”

 _“Wǒ de mā hé tā de fēng kuáng de wài shēng dōu_ , if it isn’t the _jùn jié nián qīng rén_ ,” Monty laughed and hugged her, spinning her around with a grin. “What’re you doin’ with my old pal?”

“Working,” River laughed and kissed his cheek before he put her down and looked up at him sternly, “He has not married again has he? Knows that no good will come of it?” She tugged at the regrown beard teasingly.

 _“Āi yā_ ,” Monty groaned. “Don’t remind me. Stupidest thing I ever done, marryin’ that _yāo jing wú qíng de pō fù_. I barely got my beard grown back out to what it was b’fore she talked me into shavin’.”

Riddick was looking at the two of them with a bemused expression, “I take it you’ve met?” He commented in a dry tone.

River giggled, “First job off _Serenity_ working with Monty.” She explained. “Taught her a lot.”

“Practiced conning her,” Monty laughed, shaking his head. “That lasted about a week before she could just tell a truth from a lie. Probably less an’ she was just bein’ polite. She’s a good ‘un to have around Rick.” River smiled and gave Riddick a quick shake of her head when he arched an eyebrow curiously, obviously wondering if Monty was aware of all of her abilities.

Riddick was nothing if not quick on the uptake, giving her a slight nod of understanding. Those mercury eyes watched her thoughtfully, “Yeah, I’m figurin’ that out.” He spread his hands, “So you know what the problem is. River’s a good engineer and she’s said she’ll take on being my backup pilot in emergencies. She’s a good gunhand too.”

“But you need some muscle, and you need trustworthy folks,” Monty nodded his understanding.

“Gotta be able to trust ‘em around her too. Won’t have anyone who constantly hassles her or any other member of the crew. Don’t really care about man or woman. Long’s they know to do their job. Having someone who can fly in a pinch, when River’s gotta be in the engine room, or act as a medic when I’m the one shot up,” Riddick explained, and Monty nodded.

“Well I know a couple folks might do for you,” He was rubbing his chin, stroking his fingertips through his regrown beard. “One of ‘em, he’s an ornery cuss. But he’s a good medic and he don’t have no problems puttin’ holes in people either. He just don’t take orders too well.”

“She’s my second in command,” Riddick jerked a thumb at River, ignoring her barely hidden astonishment at the surprise promotion. “Something goes wrong, she’s the one who’ll know how to fix it. Just as good as I am in a fight or figurin’ people.”

“Well he might won’t do then,” Monty shook his head. “There’s a couple folks, a brother and sister and the sister’s wife. He’s a decent pilot though he says flying makes his brain hurt unless he’s shooting at someone. He’s good muscle, amiable enough, but he’s not quick.”

“And her?” Riddick folded his arms thoughtfully.

“His sister’s quick enough for the both of them. Smart as a whip and sharp as a tack, and she’s a very good gunhand. She can work as a medic too, and she’s taught her wife some of that trade.” The big Browncoat explained.

“So… why’re they lookin’ for work?” River wondered aloud, “Is she hard to get along with?” Monty’s thoughts, easy to read, showed her men and women, competent and otherwise, but questions served to fix his mind on the specifics, even if he didn’t voice everything going through his thoughts.

“Only because most men tend to hit on her, or her wife, and they don’t exactly act respectful,” Monty explained. “Her brother follows her, nothin’ he wouldn’t do for her. Her wife, she’s sweet, but quiet. Helluva cook and she’s a talented seamstress to boot.”

“Hard to find work for both,” River realized looking at Riddick. “One finds work but then there’s nothing for the other excepting the most basic labor.” She added, “Also must deal with lascivious looks and lustful behavior from males when any affection is shown between two women. Off-putting.”

“Well…” Riddick nodded his understanding of the problem. “Don’t know that we can afford to pay for a cook.”

Monty shook his head, “Nah, don’t think she’d expect that. Just most folks don’t want anyone on board isn’t working or paying.”

“Well hell,” Riddick shook his head. “That I don’t mind. If she’d cook in exchange for room and board that’d be fine. Guess if she wanted to charge for mending she could get plenty of work too. I’m no fuckin’ good with a needle.” He shrugged, “And none of it matters if they don’t pass a basic interview.”

Monty nodded, “Ya’ll said you’d be here for a couple days?”

Riddick nodded, “Got some cargo to be picked up, headed for Persephone after this. They on planet at the moment?”

“Yeah, at a boarding house, part of why I brought them up. Knew you’d want to see them soonest. So’s the first fella I mentioned if you want to see if he’d be a good fit.” Monty chuckled, “He actually doesn’t take orders well from anyone who can’t kick his _pì gu_ , so you and River have a go at him, he might just do for another hand.”

River looked at Riddick, “Up to you. No problems putting someone in their place if he’d like to interview.”

“Let’s see,” Riddick nodded. “He respectful of women at all besides that problem?”

“Oh, he’s got no trouble in that respect,” The big man shook his head. “He just don’t like orders is all.”

“Yeah, send him along,” Riddick looked over at her. “Set right with you?”

She grinned in anticipation, “Should be fun.”

* * *

She retired to her bunk that evening tired but satisfied. Riddick had taken on all four of the people Monty recommended. She’d had to kick Jacob Cunningham’s _pì gu_ before he’d listen to her but once she had, he’d nodded and done just what she’d said. Riddick had simply looked at him and told him that if he wanted a fight he’d give him one but maybe he ought to let his current bruises fade first.

The brother and sister were just as Monty had described. Both of them off of St. Albans with the blond hair and blue eyes the natives tended towards. He seemed nice enough, but didn’t come across as very bright, at least as far as first impressions went. His name was Ty and his sister was Lizzie, last name Lawrence. Lizzie’s wife was a quiet little thing with light brown hair and a sweet smile, a striking contrast to the tall angular Lizzie. She’d asked to be called Bella.

Lizzie and Bella had gotten the bunk two down from Riddick’s since it was the next largest to his and they’d be sharing. Ty settled into the bunk between his sister’s and Riddick’s and Jacob took the bunk directly across from Lizzie and Bella. That left two true singles and another double open if Riddick felt like taking on more crew. The beds were similar to River’s, not singles but not doubles either. Both of them were big men and would probably fit in the single bunks as well as Jayne had _Serenity’s_ beds. Which was to say not well at all.

None of them had much in the way of gear, beyond a few changes of clothing, tools of their trades, guns and knives, and in Lizzie’s case a sewing basket, portable machine and a bag of yarn for knitting. Being out of work had a way of paring down one’s belongings to the bare essentials.

“We’re offloading some cargo on Boros and picking some more up, headed for Persephone,” Riddick had explained when everyone had settled around the big table in the galley. “River an’ me, we’ve got provisions to pick up here, so we’ll do that while you get settled into your bunks. You can explore all you want, but the engine room and bridge are locked to you for now. Nobody goes there unless one of us is with them, not until we know you better.”

River had been chopping vegetables for rehydration while he spoke, “Ready for the protein.” She told him quietly. They’d agreed she would also speak to the crew so the idea that she was second in command would come across firmly. Despite it being a somewhat new position to her, the crew didn’t have to know that she hadn’t been on the _Liberty_ very long.

“I’m River. That’s Rick.” She jerked her head at the big man moving at the stove. “Between the two of us there’s not much on this boat we can’t do. But it’s a big boat and it’s safer to have a larger crew. Especially for cargo jobs and some of the others we take.” She regarded them thoughtfully, Reading their reactions, “We might pick up passengers on Persephone, it depends. If anyone has any outstanding warrants or reason lawmen or Mercs might come after you, now’s the time to say.”

Ty shifted uneasily and Jacob stiffened slightly while Lizzy glanced down. River sighed and looked over at Riddick whose nostrils were flaring at the sudden influx of changing scents. Obviously they had something to hide, though the particulars were vague to her at the moment. “You want to take this one?” She looked Core and superficially law abiding, maybe Riddick would have more luck.

“Yeah,” Riddick nodded and continued to cook. “We ain’t asking so we can turn you over. Or so we can bust your balls about it.” He shrugged, “I’ve had mercs on my neck most of my life. Doesn’t matter that my record has been expunged. River’s had the government after her and mercs too; that’s all been cleared up but the mercs keep coming.”

“We’re not preachers, we’re not here to make you feel guilty and judged,” River shrugged. “But if you’ve got a warrant on say…Canton, stands to reason you’d want to stay inside should we have to land there.”

“I cain’t leave the boat if we’re goin’ ta Beaumonde,” Ty spoke up, his voice slow as he chose his words. “Got myself in a peck a trouble there.”

“And I got more’n a peck over on Santo,” Lizzie admitted.

“There’s a price on my head on Pelorum,” Jacob admitted.

“There’s a reason the boat’s called _Liberty_ ,” Riddick told them. “Now we know, we keep you three inside if we have to land anywhere you’re wanted. Or at least we stay on guard for the law or mercs on those rocks.”

They’d answered more questions as they arose over the meal and got everyone settled in their bunks. She doubted anyone would unpack but experienced hands knew to grab sleep when they could.

They’d both gotten in the habit of sitting on the stairs to the passenger lounge to talk after their morning workouts. River usually stretched her legs in front of her, leaning back on her elbows to look up at him. Being considerably larger than her, he needed more room to stretch and no matter what she had to look up to see his face unless he sat three steps down from hers.

Riddick would go over what he’d had in mind for the day. They’d talk over job possibilities, clients they had in common, contacts like Monty. Sometimes the conversation devolved into mild flirtation. She’d found it comforting, developing their common ground, looked forward to the talks. Even the ones regarding chores or less than enjoyable duties around the ship. Riddick didn’t condescend to her, or she to him.

The talk would wait until the cargo arrived and they could unload what they had in the bay. Any discussion they began would only be interrupted, so better to put it off until the work had been done. And they could both think over what they’d learned through their individual talents and observations while they waited.

A couple hours later, they still had supplies to get, so they’d have to walk and talk over the newcomers. She still ended up looking up to meet Riddick’s gaze though he shortened his stride, so she wasn’t running to stay alongside him. Riddick locked the ship behind them once the cargo had been switched out and looked at her, “Well?”

“Ty is no where near as slow as he acts,” River told him promptly. “It’s a ruse. Play dumb, see what he can pick up if people speak thinking he won’t understand. Purely precautionary, hasn’t used it to turn on folks. More to protect himself and his sister and her wife. Decent man, but he knows others in the ‘verse are not.”

“Can’t say I blame him,” Riddick nodded. “What about her?”

“She’s prickly,” River sighed. “Her guard is up, and I think it’ll stay up until she trusts us. She’s very protective of Bella. People have tried to take advantage of them both, that they were women, that they’re married. I don’t think they’ll socialize much until Ty lets them know it’s safe. They’re used to men eying them up, waiting for them to kiss or act affectionate in public. Don’t like to be leered at for simple affection so they likely won’t touch much beyond the casual in the common areas until they’re sure it won’t happen here.”

“Again, can’t blame them,” He guided her towards the market and between the two of them they began to haggle over goods as they shopped for supplies. “Jacob is…odd.”

“Feels like his bravado, asking for a fight, is a front.” River nodded her agreement. “Can’t quite figure out what he’s hiding. Might be as simple as being an ex-soldier. Or he could be a retired merc. He doesn’t think about it much, just…guarded.”

“I’ll turn on the cameras in the halls and common areas,” Riddick said quietly. “So no one can go sneaking around without me knowing.”

“As if they could even without the cameras.” She’d grinned at him and he’d chuckled quietly.

Her monster wasn’t there when she looked under her bed and she sighed, changing into something appropriate for sleep. She was getting positively spoiled, being able to talk with him most nights. She really ought to stop calling him her monster, it wasn’t as if his behavior matched the term.

* * *

They had an audience for their workout the next morning, Ty, Jacob and Lizzie all watching from the catwalks as she and Riddick worked their muscles. When she flowed from her pushups into her kata the wave of lust was so strong it almost knocked her off balance. It was nothing like Riddick’s heated gaze though she could feel his eyes on her as well. Well that was something of a downside to having a bigger crew. And she couldn’t tell if it was only the men or if Lizzie was also projecting.

Deciding to give them something to watch she moved from one type of martial art to another, this more suited to combat, distinctly war like with its kicks and punches. Riddick chuckled behind her and she could feel his mischievous intent as he palmed a shiv and threw it at her.

Someone gasped above them as she turned and snatched the shiv out of midair, flinging it back at him with a laugh, “Have to do better than that.”

“Yeah?” For such a large man he was very light on his feet, like a tiger or a panther, his punch wasn’t easy to dodge, and she grinned. Oh this would be so much fun.

“Finally, a challenge,” She taunted him and curled her fingers in teasing invitation.

The no holds barred spar they had left them sweaty and grinning at each other while the three people hired as gunhands stared. “Good workout,” Riddick commented. “We gotta do this more often.”

“Wondering why he hired them when we are so deadly,” River murmured.

Riddick laughed, “You can have the first shower, I’ll go check our course.”

* * *

The crew, plus one cook, didn’t have any idea how good Riddick’s senses were. Or how much she would hear through the vents when she got the urge to explore _Liberty’s_ ‘hidden halls’.

“So what d’ya think’s goin’ on ‘tween Cap’n Rick an’ River?” Jacob was the one who brought it up. Riddick was on the bridge, the door to the hall open, but someone with normal hearing wouldn’t be able to catch the conversation word for word. From what she knew of Riddick’s senses from things he’d let drop (and what she could Read of him) he might as well be in the room with them. His thoughts were indistinct as always but she could get a good general impression most of the time.

“Somethin’s goin’ on?” Ty’s voice was slow, almost muddled though his mind was working overtime.

“They got separate bunks,” Jacob was remarkably patient with the ‘slow’ Ty. “But you ain’t seen how he looks at her?”

“How does he look at her?” Lizzie’s low voice was curious. “Gotta say I haven’t been paying much attention other than to make sure I got my work done.”

“Man’s eyes follow her like she’s gonna lead him to a platinum mine,” Jacob sounded amused, envious and a bit confused on top of it. “An’ she’s watchin’ him right back, shy-like, ain’t quite flirtin’ but edgin’ ‘round it y’know?”

“She’s pretty,” Ty offered after a moment’s thought. “And she’s…nice?”

She really couldn’t blame him for the questioning tone in his comment. She could be kind, she could be polite, but nice… Nice didn’t come to her easy.

“Ain’t sayin’ she’s not,” Jacob had a shrug in his voice. “But they’re adults, right? Don’t seem ta be nothin’ stoppin’ ‘em. ‘S like they’re dancin’ ‘round each other, like that sparrin’ they’re doin’ in the mornin’s.”

“They’s friends,” Ty suggested after another minute.

His sister concurred, “Maybe they do like each other or at least want to jump each other, but if they’re friends and work well together… Well… Sex can, no pun, screw that up right quick. You know _xuě shàng jiā shuāng_.”

For all her gentle ways and sweet smile Bella was a voice to be heard when she chose to be, “That’s enough out of you three. They’ve given us a chance, hirin’ us on, givin’ you the choice o’ bunks. Got decent wages and mostly legal work. And it’s a poor way to repay them, sitting and gossiping like broody hens.” She brought something over to the table with a thump, “Now one of you go and tell Rick dinner’s ready. Lizzie, you let River know.”

River had decided there was a lot more spine in Bella than anyone, but Lizzie had understood. It made her like the quiet woman a lot better. She’d climbed down from the vents and into the hall just in time to meet Lizzie heading towards the engine room. The look of slight unease on the tall woman’s face suggested (and was matched by her thoughts) that she was worried River had overheard them gossiping.

Exchanging a look with Riddick as he entered the galley from the opposite direction had him smirking slightly as they took their seats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So now they have crew…and Riddick has met Reavers. I hope you all enjoyed.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> Zhēn tā mā yào mìng. Zhù yì (The situation’s really fucked up. Be careful.)
> 
> guāng míng zhèng dà ((of a person) honorable / not devious / (of a behavior) fair and aboveboard / without tricks / openly / (of a situation) out in the open)
> 
> huò bù dān xíng (misfortune does not come singly (idiom) / it never rains but it pours)
> 
> shuō fèi huà (to talk nonsense; to bullshit)
> 
> Wǒ de mā hé tā de fēng kuáng de wài shēng dōu (script - holy mother of god and all her wacky nephews)
> 
> jùn jié (elite/outstanding talent/ genius)
> 
> nián qīng rén (young people/youngster)
> 
> Āi yā (interjection of wonder, shock or admiration)
> 
> yāo jing (evil spirit / alluring woman)
> 
> wú qíng de pō fù (relentless shrew/harridan)
> 
> pì gu (butt)
> 
> xuě shàng jiā shuāng (to add hail to snow (idiom); one disaster on top of another / to make things worse in a bad situation)


	6. Five

Not every day could go so well, though _Liberty_ had the advantage of being a newer ship than _Serenity_. Its ghosts weren’t as layered or as strong. It had taken them several days to sail from Boros to Persephone, and all the newcomers had thoughts, loud, soft, nightmares or daydreams. After the time alone with Riddick in the Black, only his mind rubbing against hers, warm as a cat’s fur, the contrast became painfully obvious.

Jacob acted as co-pilot for their landing on Persephone while River dealt with the engine room. Not that there was much to deal with, Riddick made sure that _Liberty_ didn’t want for the parts that would keep her purring along. It had been in his mind that the windfall of found platinum would be handy for that should they ever have trouble finding work. River had nodded her agreement recalling _Serenity’s_ difficulties. Riddick was very possessive and protective of things he considered his, his ship especially. That was to everyone’s benefit so long as they were all living on the boat.

Touching down to dirt felt like a gong sounding, every nerve ending, every sense, firing at once, until she was seeing in four dimensions and a fifth became so much more than theory. Every voice on the planet seemed to simply scream into her mind until she just wanted to crawl into the vents and hide.

Well aware that no one would understand why if she did such a thing, she forced herself upright and left the engine room, locking the door behind her and making her way to the galley. Caffeine to thin the blood and ease the pounding in her head, food to draw the blood to her stomach, and hopefully, quiet to help her adjust to the sudden influx.

Bella exclaimed in dismay when she saw River’s white face, “ _Wǒ de mā_ , River, are you all right?”

River winced at the sound, but no one made the connection between noise and pain, Ty and Lizzie both trying to help, “Coffee, and something…protein.” She requested in a voice far too faint to sound reasonable and mentally cursed at this random weakness. She had no one to blame for it but herself, being in the Black was no excuse for letting her guard down.

“Sit,” Bella ordered and pointed at her wife. “Lizzie, you go on an’ get one o’ my lavender eye pads. Ty, you go on and tell Rick that River’s sick.”

River sat, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands until Bella put coffee and protein chips in front of her. Neither was at all appealing, but medicine wasn’t either and supposedly it helped. Forcing herself to drink the coffee and nibble on the chips at least gave her something to concentrate on.

Riddick came striding into the galley at a pace double that of Ty and Jacob’s, and frowned, nostrils flaring, at the sight of her. “Hey,” His low voice soothed rather than jarred. “Head bothering you?”

“Too much…influx,” River rubbed her temples hoping she was being clear enough.

His hand cupped the back of her neck, warmth seeping into cold tense muscles, “Need quiet and time to get sorted?” He seemed to know instinctively what would help and she wondered if he had moments like this where his senses would simply overwhelm him there was so much going on all around.

“Please,” She didn’t dare nod, or her head would fall off. Jacob was fetching a bottle of smoothers and put it on the table for her but the sight of them just made her feel worse. Her sudden nausea at the sight of the pills had to show on her face because Riddick pushed them out of her sight. “Can’t take…drugs. Makes it worse.”

“Well we can get by without you today, it’s just the drop off,” Riddick murmured. “We’re here for a few days. We can get your things tomorrow if you’re feeling up to it. Next job isn’t until the day after.”

“Just need…” She forced a deep breath in and out. “Today. To adjust. Will be fine by this evening.”

“All right,” He nodded and scooped her up. “Takin’ you to your bunk. Quieter and you can rest. Nice and dim so it doesn’t hurt your eyes.” He jerked his head at Bella and the food and coffee, “You hand that down to me once I get her to her bunk. She’ll need it but she needs the dark and quiet more.”

“What’s wrong?” Lizzie sounded both confused and worried.

“Later,” She could feel his irritation with the questions as he carried her towards her bunk. It was a testament to both his strength and balance that he was able to carry her down the ladder without losing his grip on her or the steel rungs.

Big gentle hands set her on her bed and carefully eased off her boots. Her hair, wound into its braided knot at the base of her neck, was carefully undone and her pins put on her shelf. Fingertips rubbed over her scalp and neck, massaging away tension if only temporarily. “There you go… rest, drink the coffee, try to get acclimated.”

“Ghostly galleon, the moon, is tossed on cloudy seas, and the road is a ribbon, over the moor but I can’t follow where it goes,” She murmured.

His hands stilled for a moment before he continued to rub her scalp, “Follow the highwayman then.” He suggested quietly.

“He does not want her, he wants the landlord’s daughter, with the love knot in her hair,” River shuddered. “It’s all flooding through her and she’ll be swept away. Redcoats take her hostage.”

“No,” He was firm but no louder than before. “No redcoats here. Just me and you.” He wrapped the blanket from her bed around her. “Let it drain out of you, then you shore up the levies again, right?”

“A coat of claret velvet, like his voice,” River murmured her agreement. “Let the moon rise…show the way, the purple moor and the road of moonlight.”

“That’s right,” He helped her drink the coffee before he eased her down onto her pillow and made sure she was tucked in and warm. “We’ll talk more tonight.”

“Yes,” River murmured. “His eyes are the moon. Trust the moon.”

* * *

Dreams were often more clear than waking thoughts when she was overwhelmed with an onslaught of voices like this one. Riddick’s voice hard and clear, “Let me make one thing straight, anyone bothers her, they are off this boat, no second chances.”

“But what’s wrong?” Lizzie persisted, “Don’t wanna make her worse. But what shouldn’t we do?”

“Looked like a migraine,” Jacob suggested his voice quiet. “My ma useta get those. Every four or five weeks. Used to say it was the moon pulling on her brain.”

“It’s something like that,” Riddick agreed. It wasn’t all of the truth, but it wasn’t quite a lie either. “There’s times I’ve had somethin’ similar. Like everything gets dialed up to extremes. A whisper is like shouting. Silk’s like sandpaper and perfume is rank. Can’t talk, can’t barely eat. Just gotta sit in a dark room and pray it passes. So just walk soft in the hallway, don’t use the comm system if you can avoid it, don’t try to wake her up.”

“She didn’t want the smoothers though,” Ty sounded confused.

“She can’t take drugs,” Riddick was adamant. “It’s one of the things she and I have in common. Drugs have really bad effects on her. Even anesthesia is bad. A local is okay, but opiates, stuff that knocks you out, none of it is good for her.”

“Shit,” Jacob cursed. “That’s going to be hell to deal with if she gets shot.”

She could feel that Riddick didn’t disagree with that, but he was just as determined that she not get shot.

* * *

By midafternoon she’d been able to ‘shore up the levies’ as Riddick had put it. By early evening she was feeling close to human again. She’d relaxed with only Riddick for company, let her walls down and hadn’t realized it until it was nearly too late. Now she’d paid for her complacency. Well. Lesson learned. Never again.

It was an irritation to have the crew tiptoeing around her, but she tolerated it, explaining that there were rare times when her senses could be overwhelmed. “The pull of gravity, slightly different than _Liberty’s_ , the air pressure, humidity levels, noise, pollution… sometimes if I’m not prepared I can have a bad reaction.” She shrugged, “It’s worse on Core planets. Although Beaumonde with all the pollution, is nearly as bad. I haven’t been to Persephone in a while. I’d forgotten.”

Riddick was watching her, mercurial eyes concerned but when she ate with good appetite and participated in the conversation without wincing or flinching at a slightly louder tone he seemed to relax somewhat. He appeared to be considering something, but he was very good at not thinking of it when she was around to hear his thoughts. She’d explained a while back that if she worked at it she could Read him but mostly his mind was guarded from her abilities by his natural defenses. Thoughts concerning her were easier to Read no matter whose mind it was but Riddick’s thoughts were still mostly indistinct unless she narrowed her focus to him and only him. She could touch him and open her mind to his but then it was obvious she was Reading him.

“So tomorrow, I figure we go and pick up your things from the storage locker. Get them into the cargo bay and head on out to meet my contact about the job,” Riddick suggested. “Job isn’t until the day after but with this guy it’s always a good idea to check in one last time, in case something’s changed. Sometimes he ‘forgets’ to mention little details.”

River tilted her head, “Badger?” The image in his mind matched the grubby little Dyton native with delusions of standing.

“That’s the one,” Riddick grimaced. He didn’t seem to like Badger any more than Mal did.

“Sad little king of a sad little hill,” River murmured and smiled wickedly. “Should be interesting to meet him again.”

“Oh?” Riddick raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm…” She continued to eat and finally shrugged, “He might have sold _Serenity_ a wild goose chase leading to mercs at the end and someone who wanted my captain’s head in a bag. Minus the rest of his body. Mercs wanted me.”

“That don’t bode well for the job goin’ smooth,” Jacob commented pointedly.

Riddick growled his agreement, “He know what was going to happen?”

“Might have,” River shrugged. “Can’t know for certain. But he wouldn’t have minded _Serenity_ coming to a bad end. Did not like Mal at all.” She considered, “The job was of the ‘too good to be true’ variety but they were short on work and coin so they took it. Nearly lost some folk.” Herself among them. She could still remember the drifting, suffocating feeling of the anesthesia she’d used trying to escape.

“Uh… how bad d’we need this job?” Ty was bringing up a good point. “I don’ wanna get sold out if the fella don’ like me.”

“Nobody does,” Jacob agreed more patiently than anyone might have thought of him. “But it seems like it’s a bit late to back out of the job now.”

“But its not too late to renegotiate our fee,” Riddick’s mouth spread in a wicked smirk. “Once he gets a good look at River and she reminds him of who she used to sail with.” He eyed her meaningfully.

“And I make clear my dislike for such a double cross,” River grinned back at him. “And if he doesn’t wish to do business with us afterwards…”

“Then that’s his loss,” Riddick shrugged. “We got two different loads of cargo to make setting down here worthwhile.”

“Could always do the job and leave him out of it entirely,” Lizzie suggested. It was rare that she’d make a comment to do with work, seeming to prefer keeping her opinions to herself until she was certain of the lay of the land.

“Now that,” Riddick nodded at her. “That is not a bad notion at all.” He looked at River, “If I give you the specs can you dig into the cortex and figure out what he’s been holding back?”

She nodded, “Can take a look tonight.”

* * *

River looked up as Riddick entered the bridge, smiling. “Got the information we need.” She told him. “Also wanted to thank you, for the help this morning. Haven’t had a spell that bad in a while.”

“Wondered if it was all the new people,” Riddick took a seat in the pilot’s chair.

She shook her head, “Alone with you, in the Black, so few ghosts… relaxed. Let my guard down; more than I realized. Wasn’t prepared for four new people and then Persephone…” She sighed. “Won’t do it again. Can’t really afford to be incapacitated for a day.”

“It happens,” Riddick shrugged. “So, what’s the skinny on this job?”

“Badger is trying to expand his territory,” River tapped the cortex screen. “Wants to use us to take out a rival’s station. They keep the payroll there, other valuables and sundries, so that’s our payday, of which he’d demand a cut.”

“Puts us in the line of fire and keeps him out of it, we might get paid but he gets more than that since he gets a cut and the territory,” Riddick made a face. “I think we go by tomorrow and have a word with Badger. A few pointed words.” He flipped a shiv through his fingers like a magician’s coin.

“But we do have a line on another job, if you don’t mind smuggling livestock,” River tapped another screen. “ _Serenity_ has done work for him before. Good business, but _Serenity_ is unavailable. Could wave them, ask for a reference.”

“Animals,” He made a face. “Have to wash down the entire cargo bay afterwards.”

“No,” River shook her head. “Sheep and goats. We can put down a disposable absorbent mat. Better to keep them contained in a smaller area, hard burn to Jiangyin. Off load before they begin to stink up the ship.”

“And change the filters in the air processors afterwards, while we air out the ship,” Riddick added with a frown. “But yeah, better a smelly job than no job at all.” He rubbed a hand over his chin, “See if your old crew will give us a reference. Like to have at least one thing besides cargo to earn coin on this trip. Triple redundancy is barely sufficient in my mind.”

“Sending a wave now,” River nodded and watched as he got up and headed down to his bunk.

* * *

Her monster didn’t make an appearance that night, and Riddick was still thinking on whatever it was that was bothering him, his emotions unsettled. She hoped it wasn’t that he’d missed his night talks with his friend. He’d been so out of sorts the last time that happened. Of course, it might also be too far for a live wave and that could explain his mood a bit too.

Sleep didn’t come easily. And morning came too soon. She’d spent such a restless night that Riddick was nearly able to hit her when they sparred. By the time they’d made the trip to her storage locker and retrieved her belongings she was ready to beg for coffee and food.

Once they’d retrieved her things the crew was at liberty and told that if they didn’t come back by the time the night cycle started they’d be spending it off of the boat. “I don’t leave _Liberty_ open for anyone and we’re still getting to know you,” He explained. “We’ve got that chat with Badger to have too.”

“Won’t that be fun,” River murmured as she sipped her coffee.

“Could be,” Riddick grinned at her. He watched as the four new crew members left the ship and shut the bay doors behind them.

“True,” She leaned against the stairs. “You’ve been thinking on something… anything you want to talk about? Have you been able to talk with your old friend often enough?”

“Actually, last couple of days no, but the way things have been going I wouldn’t have expected to,” He said slowly. “Getting in touch isn’t always easy.”

“I’m sorry.” River shook her head, “I know how that feels.” She frowned as she remembered the last time she’d gotten to talk more than a few minutes with her monster. It had been several days ago; they’d been rushing around ever since.

“Yeah? You got someone from one of your old crews you keep in touch with?” Riddick was looking at her curiously and River shook her head.

“Not…via the cortex, no.” She took another sip of coffee and wondered if there was anyway to say it without sound like she was completely ready for a bughouse as Jayne would say.

“There’s another Reader out there you can talk with?” Riddick had the right idea, just the wrong specifics and she shook her head.

“Don’t know that he’s a Reader,” She shrugged. “Sometimes I think he’s a creation of psychosis. I started seeing him after Simon broke me out of the Academy. I wasn’t completely sane.” She added dryly. “Simon thought I was talking to myself.”

“That’s something sane folks do too, or so I’m told.” He half smiled, “I haven’t been accused of sanity much myself.”

“When I got my mind and reason back, after Miranda, he wasn’t there anymore.” River sighed, “I thought I’d just…made this person up in my head, a friend who would understand me. Talked to me like I wasn’t crazy.”

“That must have been…” Riddick frowned shaking his head, “Nice to be able to talk straight but you lose someone important to you.”

“Wasn’t thrilled, but accepted it,” She shrugged. “Looked for him a couple of times. But until I came to your boat, never found him again.”

“Gotta say, lucky guy to have you talking to him before bed, if all you’re wearing is that little thing I saw when we nearly hit the derelict,” He smirked at her lasciviously and she laughed.

“I don’t think he sees me that way. He knows I’m female. I can tell by his voice he’s male, but he’s…always in shadow. And for him I guess I’m always out of reach,” River sighed. “I’ll check again tonight and see if he’s there.”

“So if you met him in person, would you know it was him,” His curiosity appeared to get the better of him, a slight twist to his mouth a tell that he didn’t much like asking the question for some reason. A reasonable question, and something she’d wondered herself. She’d never tried to Read her monster, didn’t even know if she could. He’d always just been there.

“It’s possible…but it’s equally likely that I wouldn’t,” River considered. “Mental voices differ from aural ones. And I can’t be certain if I’m hearing him mentally or with my ears. No one has sounded exactly as he has.”

Riddick nodded, seemingly changing the subject, “You were talking about the highwayman yesterday, when you were trying to get control during your spell.”

“Oh,” River smiled as she remembered. “Very romantic and tragic poem, The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes. In the late twentieth century it was made into a song.” She thought a moment, remembering, “When I’m having trouble speaking, sometimes I fall back on literary references, plays, poems, stories. It’s easier than finding my own words.”

“Do you know it?” He was watching her as if waiting for something, but she couldn’t see what it was. His ability to hide his thoughts was very frustrating at times.

“Of course,” She nodded. “The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees. The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas. The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, And the highwayman came riding—Riding—riding—The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.”

He nodded, “Yep. That’s what I remember.” His smile was wide and pleased and for the life of her she couldn’t understand why. “Guess we’d better go see old Badger before the day gets away from us.”

River nodded thoughtfully, “I’ll grab my body armor.”

“Good thought,” Riddick nodded and headed for the armory.

* * *

The meeting with Badger had been satisfying. She hadn’t been in her right mind at the time, back when the Hands of Blue had laid their trap though she had nearly killed herself to avoid them. Instinctively she’d known they were close, but later on she’d learned just how close the Hands of Blue had come to taking her back. They’d endangered _Serenity_ and everyone aboard her, all in the name of taking her back to Parliament so she could be used, or ultimately, killed for the knowledge she carried.

Badger had led them into that trap. When he’d seen her face, he’d been confused at first, until she’d played the part of the Dyton woman again. Then he’d recognized her. “Not pleased with you Badger,” She told him coldly. “Not at all. You remember the last job _Serenity_ got from you? What a wild goose chase right? Battle of Sturges. All those dead ships, dead men, and just a few live ones. Lying in wait. For my ship. For me.” She flipped a knife through her fingers idly and eyed him, “You see Dobson might have wanted Mal, but the men he was working with wanted me. And they nearly got me. But for my brother and the Shepherd.”

“And now you want _Liberty’s_ crew to pull a job that puts us in harm’s way. More than the norm for a job,” Riddick was an intimidating figure when he was in a good mood. As chillingly angry as he was now, he was terrifying to a worm like Badger. “Rob someone else’s payroll, expand your territory, and put our necks in the noose. Can’t say I like that much.” He was simply rubbing the blade of a shiv between his fingers, testing the edge. “Especially when I hear about the crap you pulled on her old crew. Backing out of jobs, or getting squirrely on the details,” He nodded towards River.

“That were just business,” Badger protested. “They took the job, fair an’ square, weren’t none o’ my look out if it weren’t on the level.”

“You gave them the job because it wasn’t on the level,” River said flatly. Now that she’d gotten close to him, now that he thought of Sturges, she could Read it easily. “You knew it was a trap. Too good to be true. Treasure in a broken fleet. But you played it up, poked at old wounds and they took the job because jobs are hard to come by.”

“See, the way I figure it, sooner or later you’d try to do the same with me and mine,” Riddick moved closer. “Difference is, I won’t wait. I’ll just take care of the problem now.”

They’d managed to get back to the ship without attracting any undue attention. Badger and the three men he’d had with him were no longer an issue. She and Riddick would need to do laundry to get rid of the blood spatter but that was done easily enough while they were docked. She was sure there’d be scrambling amongst the remaining crew and Badger’s competitors, trying to fill the power vacuum and grab the biggest slice of the pie. But that wasn’t her problem.

* * *

Body armor off and stowed in her bunk, only one set of knives on her, River sat down at the table and leaned back in her chair. Riddick’s smirk as he sharpened a blade was more lazy than sarcastic, “Tired?”

“Feels like it’s been an…eventful week,” She admitted. “But I got a wave from Mal and he’s sent a recommendation to Sir Warrick Harrow on our behalf.”

Riddick smiled, “Well that’s some good news.”

She nodded and stretched for a moment before starting to take her hair out of its chignon and braid. “Not irritated by the last-minute change in plans?”

He chuckled as he put away the shiv and whetstone, “We’ve still got a job, we’ll get paid, and most likely we won’t end up getting screwed in the end.” He got up to pour some tea, bringing the mugs back to the table. “I’ve learned over the years to roll with the punches. If I’m not in a slam or stuck in cryo it’s not a bad life.”

She nodded, “Hmm… freedom can be a heady thing.” She rested her head on the back of the chair and let her hair fall down the back of it, blinking at the sound of Riddick’s low growl. “Hmm?”

“You really have no clue what you’re doing to me,” He was staring at her, eyes glued to the sliver of skin exposed across her stomach by her stretch. “How can you be a Reader and be so…oblivious?”

“You’re not easy to Read,” She reminded him. “You keep your thoughts very close. You’re disciplined, mentally and physically.”

“Yeah,” Mercury hot eyes were roaming over her body, devouring each curve. “And a good thing too or I’d have had you under me the first day we met.”

“You did have me under you,” River retorted tartly. “You didn’t really seem to have any problem letting me slip away.”

“I don’t force myself on women,” He sniped back. “Yeah, I loved feeling you pressed up against me, the smell of you and that smart-ass mouth. But you were pretty clear that you weren’t interested.”

“You had your hand around my throat,” She pointed out. “I’m not a male. I take a little longer to go from being throttled to finding someone attractive more than simply physical chemistry. And I pointed out that I’d gotten past that the next day.” River rolled her eyes, “Speaking of oblivious.”

“Excuse me?” He leaned forward, “I’m oblivious?”

“You have such a refined sense of smell that you can’t tell how much I enjoy looking at you, talking to you, and fighting with you?” She stood and began to bundle her hair back again. “I told you when we met that I’m not sweet. Most men, after they have tried and failed to talk me into their bed, think I’m shrew, or a harpy. On one memorable occasion a _wú qíng de pō fù_. And those are the nicest things they’ve said.”

“Well maybe you’ve been paying attention to the wrong things,” Riddick told her. “What’s your monster say about it?”

River sighed, “The one time I mentioned it he said I was beautiful and if the men around me were so stupid they couldn’t see that then I was better off waiting for someone who would.” She chuckled, “He can’t really see me though. So, it’s not like he would know.”

Riddick shook his head, “Well he’s not wrong. You are beautiful. Dead sexy on top of that. And you’re smart.”

“Too smart according to most men,” She remarked tartly.

“I’m not most men,” He shrugged. “It’s been pure pleasure being able to talk with someone who doesn’t need everything explained or simplified to the point of setting my teeth on edge.”

River considered that for a moment realizing that they did tend to have conversations that would have made her old crew, including Simon, blink in confusion. Talks with Riddick were relaxing, so much so that she hadn’t noticed he was able to keep up without any difficulty. “For me too,” She nodded. “I haven’t had to dumb anything down for you and that’s rare for me.”

“Yeah, I’ve got a three-way tie going about what’s the sexiest part of you, looks, brains or the way you fight,” Riddick grinned at her. “Though seeing you in that little top when we nearly crashed the boat into that derelict did have your body winning for a while.”

She really didn’t like the blush that was heating her cheeks, “Oh? He didn’t walk around half naked on purpose?”

“If I’d thought it would do me any good I wouldn’t wear a shirt ever,” He shot back. “Nothing I do makes a dent.” Hot eyes met hers. “Maybe you oughta do another of those deep Reads on me, see what you find. As I recall it was plenty obvious that I wanted you then. You just seemed to think once I got on the wrong end of your mouth it’d go away.”

River shrugged, “Had no reason to think he was unlike every other man.”

“Why don’t you take a look now,” His voice was a suggestive purr, rolling like velvet in her ears.

“He—” She stopped and tilted her head, eyeing him. The purr of his voice, so familiar—A rapid look backwards at all of their conversations confirmed the realization that had stopped her mid-sentence. He'd gotten that tone to his voice once before, but she’d been distracted, hadn’t made the connection. And she’d never called her monster under the bed by that name to Riddick or in his hearing. Once she’d said something about her monster being in her dorm but still—"How did he know?” River stared at him, “That she speaks to her monster? Heard her?”

“Monster…” He frowned and after a moment his expression cleared. “Your monster under the bed,” Riddick nodded. “Same way I knew about The Highwayman and how to ease that bad spell you had yesterday.” He spread his hands, “Guess I’m your monster.”

* * *

He wasn’t lying. She could tell that much. But what he was saying made no more sense than her psychosis returning when she began to see her monster again. For once she stuttered, shocked into uncertainty, “But…he… you’re…”

“Yeah,” Riddick shook his head. “I don’t know how to explain it either.” He leaned forward, “But I’ve been dreaming of you for… years. Since I was young. Before I even knew what I was. You only started talking to me lately. And cryo screws that up.”

“Dreams?” River wasn’t sure what to make of that. “She is awake when she speaks to her monster.”

“Well I see you in dreams,” He shrugged. “Can’t be sure why. Or why I’ve always seen you. Only time I haven’t was when I’m in cryo. Drugs screw it up somehow. Didn’t keep me from seeing other things, but not you.”

“She doesn’t understand,” River admitted. “How it’s even possible.”

“Might have something to do with me,” Riddick admitted. “I’ve always been a freak of nature. Only found out why a couple years back. Bunch of psycho half dead religious nutjobs tried to kill me along with half the planets in the outer systems.”

“The Necromongers,” River nodded. She’d read about them, about the steps Parliament was taking, defenses being mustered, how they would face the army rather than surrender.

“Yeah. They killed someone I was pretty set on protecting. And I found out a lot about my people during and after that whole mess.” His expression set grimly, “Part of their whole code is that you keep what you kill. And I killed their Lord Marshall. I had some help, a distraction and an unexpected ally, so I didn’t do it alone. But because I had the killing blow it made me the Lord Marshall.”

“The king is dead, long live the king?” She frowned curiously.

“Sort of like that yeah,” He nodded, silver eyes dark. “Put me in charge and me still being a ‘breeder’ they weren’t half happy about that. But that first day, they really couldn’t argue, had to accept me. So I told them that if they didn’t want me to point the whole fleet at the nearest star and burn the whole damn armada they’d pack up their toys and go to their precious Underverse.”

“Fanatics,” River murmured, catching flashes of the memory from him. “Would have obeyed, regardless of the high command.”

“Yeah, the foot soldiers were all nuts and the warriors weren’t much better. They’d have done it and gladly,” Riddick agreed. “Turns out their Underverse is a rift, goes into dark space. I found the Elemental that started the whole mess, prophecy that got my people slaughtered, and set her down on Helion Prime. Told her I’d take them to their Underverse but when I came back without them, I wanted payment.”

“Some platinum, but a record expunged, and the truth known, far more valuable,” She’d wondered how he’d managed that. He was good with a cortex, but the screens hurt his eyes after long periods and it had seemed unlikely he would be able to do the constant husking needed to clear his name.

“Exactly,” He shrugged. “Found out that all the stuff that made everyone else think I’m half animal, freak of nature, just means I’m Furyan. Marked with it and everything,” Riddick pulled the neck of his shirt down and she saw the handprint on his chest. “Got a whole lot of information downloaded into my head when I got it. Knocked me out.”

“Furyan explains seeing me in dreams?” She wasn’t sure what one had to do with the other.

“My people, we’re known across the ‘verse, or we were, as spirit warriors. Alphas are some of the most powerful, leaders.” He shrugged again, “Not sure how seeing you in dreams since I was twelve and started to figure out girls were just as interesting as shivs connects with being Furyan but it must somehow.”

“Didn’t think she was real?” River wondered why in the ‘verse he had bothered to talk to her.

“Not at first. You didn’t talk much.” Riddick smiled slightly. “Couldn’t really see you until I got my eyes. Even then, you just sorta…glowed. Your voice was similar. Part of why I liked you straight off I think. Your voice reminded me of my dream ghost.”

“His emotions…very similar to how my monster felt. That rage when we first met and your voice,” River conceded slowly. “He wasn’t talking to me anymore and it reminded me… missed him. The only person who didn’t mind me being crazy, or a genius.”

“River…” He reached for her and the sound of the cargo bay door comm link chime cut him short. “ _Gǒu niáng yǎng de_!” He cursed and went to the comm on the galley wall, “What?” The word was practically a snarl.

“Uh…we’re back?” Ty’s voice was hesitant.

“She will let them in,” River slipped out of her chair and headed down to the cargo bay, vividly aware of Riddick’s tense frame behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Soooo… I wanted Riddick to figure it out before River, mostly because River has the abundance of brains, Reading and Feelings going for her but Riddick is older, more experienced and he listens to his instincts and other senses just a bit more than she does. So when River talks about The Highwayman again, he makes the connection. 
> 
> I also wanted to play a little bit with the vulnerability being a Reader could bring. Forgetting herself and letting her guard down and ending up with an overload/migraine as a result. Another indicator of how relaxing she finds Riddick’s company, even if she doesn’t consciously realize it.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> Wǒ de mā (My mother! Mama mia! Similar to "Oh my God!" in usage)
> 
> wú qíng de pō fù (relentless shrew/harridan)
> 
> Gǒu niáng yǎng de (son of a bitch)


	7. Six

She wasn’t exactly avoiding him, but until she determined how she felt about her monster being someone who was very much flesh and blood and unexpectedly close, she tried to not be alone with him. She needed to make up her mind about how she felt beyond attraction before she took any action. Her monster knew things about her she hadn’t ever told anyone. How soon had Riddick realized and how much of his behavior towards her had been based on things she’d told her monster in confidence? Was their growing closeness a result of manipulation on his part?

And besides all that? Knowing he’d seen her at her worst, raving, talking to ghosts and cowering from Reavers across the ‘verse… _tā mā de_ mortifying. By rights she should have gone up in flames from the heat of her blushing and embarrassment.

Thankfully they could still work together well enough. Riddick gave her the space she needed to sort out her thoughts at least. The sheep/goat smuggling job went well enough, and Riddick set the _Liberty_ down not far from the ill-fated conclusion of _Serenity’s_ cattle transport.

“Don’t wander off,” She told the crew. “There are people in the hills, they like to come down and take folks.”

“Take?” Bella moved closer to Lizzie.

“Took my brother because he was a doctor,” River wasn’t paying the crew much mind, scanning the trees and hills around them as she descended the ramp. “I followed him, and they took me too. Then they tried to burn me as a witch.”

“They what now?” Riddick’s strong presence at her back felt outraged.

“Wasn’t quite…myself then,” She shrugged. “Said some things they took amiss.”

Ty and Jacob were setting up the temporary corral. This time they were a bit closer to town and it was a market day, so the ship didn’t look too out of place. But Simon had been taken from town, in the midst of a crowd.

Riddick’s hands came to rest on her hips, his body pressed to her back, “You and Bella stay close to the ship.” His voice was low and warm in her ear, lips brushing over her skin and setting her shivering. The sensation of desire, his and hers, trembled over her skin.

“No plans to go anywhere,” She agreed breathlessly.

“Good,” It was a growl that she felt like a shock through her body. “Anyone tries to take you, I’ll gut ‘em.” His big hands gave her hips another squeeze before he moved past her and easily took six of the corral pieces with him. “C’mon, let’s do this while we’re young.” He called to Lizzie and the men. “Like to get off this rock before someone gets ideas.”

Bella, wisely, had retreated into the ship, “Will they come so close to town?” She asked River in a worried voice.

“Took my brother from town,” River nodded. “But he was alone. Harder to take one of us, we’re prepared and we’re together.” She took a moment to look at the quiet woman. “Rick and I will hear them coming long before we see them.”

They watched companionably as the corral was set up and a path blocked in from the ship to the fenced in area. “All right,” Ty shouted up at them. “Let ‘em out.”

River chuckled, “Might want to head for the stairs.” She suggested to Bella. The advice was taken quickly, and the Reader commenced to opening the gate at the head of the ramp. “Here we go.” She patted one of the sheep and sent it down the ramp, the rest of them following it and the goats bringing up the rear as all the animals caught the scent of the hay Jacob had thrown down.

Moving down after them she shut the gate to the corral, her eyes moving to the trees and the town a short distance beyond them. “Something?” Riddick moved, cat footed and suddenly beside her.

“Being watched,” River nodded. “Trying to figure out if we have anything worth taking.” She jerked her chin towards the trees and hills to the northwest.

“You know, I feel like doing a little hunting,” Riddick smirked down at her. “How about you?”

“Can lead you straight to their settlement if you like,” River shrugged. “But it’s just more of the same there.”

“I don’t like people who think they should burn a girl because she’s got a few problems,” He growled and the sheep near the fence moved away uneasily.

“Stark and his scouts, they come down from the hills, whenever a ship lands,” River murmured, her eyes far away. “Not sure if they’ll find anyone or anything worth taking.”

“Nobody looks like a doctor.” Riddick folded his arms and glared in the direction she’d indicated.

“She is the only one who looks Core enough that she might be, but she is a female and thus of lesser value,” She remarked absently. “But she could be bait.”

“Planning on playing doctor? Get yourself snatched up?” He looked down at her curiously. She enjoyed that his first reaction wasn’t to protest for fear of her safety.

“It is a workable plan. Have to make sure that Lizzie and Bella are inside, Jacob with them. Ty is the tracker, between he and Jacob.” River nodded, “If he wishes to go hunting.”

“Gotta get this livestock sold,” The big man looked around thoughtfully. “But if you want to go wandering off, give me the coordinates of their settlement.”

“Wondering how many they have taken that were unwilling and forced to stay,” She murmured. “Won’t be able to tell until she’s closer.” She rattled off the coordinates. “If there are those who are unwilling, will he help them to leave?”

“Yeah,” Riddick nodded. “I don’t hold with slaving, and that’s what kidnapping and keeping someone for your own ends is. Plenty of folks taken out of slams and sold for labor. Never cared for it.”

“Then she will go and play bait,” River grinned and nearly giggled at the wickedly pleased expression of anticipation on his face. “Looks like the tiger that got the chickens and the cow and then stole the cream.”

His laugh followed her down the road to town.

* * *

She recognized Stark and his cohorts, though they didn’t know her at all. The greasy feel of their minds and tobacco stained voices came to her as if her last visit to Jiangyin had been yesterday.

The bag over her head and rope around her wrists wasn’t unexpected. Rough hands groping and searching her for weapons were not pleasant, though she’d thought they’d try something along those lines. Her foot found the groin of the man trying to fondle her before he could come across the knife concealed in her belt or the two under her long sleeves.

She sensed the blow to her face coming even if she didn’t see it, and turning away from the fist didn’t stop it from hurting. She’d definitely have a bruise. If she’d been anyone else she might have been concussed. “None a that,” She was given a rough shake of admonishment.

“No right to put hands on me,” She snarled in exaggerated outrage.

“Got whatever rights we want,” The one who wasn’t Stark and hadn’t been groping her moved in her direction and she kicked out behind her, hitting his knee with an audible crack.

“Not to my body you don’t,” River tensed. “And if you keep trying you’ll regret it.”

“Aw…what she gonna be good fer,” The first groper whined. “Some snooty Core woman.”

“Well?” Stark shook her again, “You got any useful skills? Or should I just give you over to them and put a knife in your gullet after?” Charming fellow.

“Hold degrees in mathematics, literature and history, as well as comparative theology and medicine,” River recited her qualifications in an accent as like her mother’s society voice as she could manage with a swollen lip.

“Medicine, that’s like a doctor ain’t it?” Stark asked, “An’ history an’ ‘rithmatic, them’s teachin’ skills those are.”

“Patron’ll be pleased to have a doctor,” The almost groper mused.

“C’mon then,” Stark began to pull her forward.

* * *

The settlement with its muddy stream running through the middle seemed unchanged, though possibly it was even muddier and more foul than the last time she’d been brought here. Something she wouldn’t have thought possible. Disturbing really. She’d have thought that a ship with an angry Jayne hovering over them would be taken as a powerful suggestion to change their ways. Not to mention Mal and his gun right in the Patron’s face. But apparently when _Serenity_ had left without causing anyone harm even with the possibility strongly emphasized, the Patron and his people believed that God was on their side.

She was shoved along, the bag taken off her head when they got farther away from the town and so had a full view of the idiot trio and the gaggle of religious fanatics, “We done found a doctor.” Stark called to the Patron. He poked River in the back, “Stand up straight.”

River barely kept her lip from curling at the sight of the man who’d decided to burn her at the stake. She looked around and saw eager faces and some that simply had hope die at the sight of her. One unfortunate man actually had a shackle on his ankle, chaining him to the forge he worked. Another couple held a small child and the woman simply retreated into the shack, despair radiating from her body. “ _È yǒu 'èbào_.” She muttered with a shake of her head.

She folded her arms and stared up at the Patron, “If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you. You should let me go.” She informed him.

“Why’s that? When we need a doctor and the Lord has provided one to us?” The silver haired man raised his hands to the heavens.

“I was not provided, they kidnapped me. And God has nothing to do with this,” River snarled. “Taking people isn’t the same as someone who’s come willingly to help.” She sneered, “There are only a few people here that I’d be willing to treat. And you’re not one of them.”

“She’s got all sortsa book learnin’,” Stark spoke up. “Fancy degrees in ‘rithmatic an’ readin’ an’ hist’ry.”

“And not a bit of it will I teach to a single one of you or your children,” River folded her arms stubbornly. “You should let the people you’ve taken leave. Or you won’t like what will happen. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

“Oh? And what’s that?” The Patron was elaborately condescending, “With the Lord to protect us we have nothing to fear.”

“You think that if God is for you then none can be against you,” She rolled her eyes. “As if you could fool your almighty as to the nature of your intentions. In for a shock. The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.” Why did people persist in believing that they could fool a being they considered omnipotent? A peculiar form of blindness? Or a mad belief that they were right no matter what? “ _Xiā zi mō xiàng_ ,” River murmured.

“You’ll learn to hold your tongue soon enough woman,” The Patron still hadn’t figured out what was going on. Had no idea how truly humped he was. “A few days without food and a belt to your back and you’ll be taught your place.”

River heard a low mean growl on the heel of the Patron’s words, Riddick’s mind filled with outrage (and for once quite open and clear to her) at the man’s intentions. “Followed her,” River turned and smiled at Riddick and Ty, both of them entering the village with Jacob behind them.

“That we did,” Ty nodded. “That’s some helluva climb.” He was looking around and frowned when he saw the man at the forge with shackles on his legs. “Boss,” He offered in his slow deliberate way, “I’m thinkin’ we got some real _gāi sǐ huài rén_ here.”

Not much escaped Riddick’s silver gaze and he obviously had not missed what Ty and River had both seen. The growl that vibrated through his chest was even more disturbing knowing it came from a man, not an animal, and hearts started beating triple time in fear and adrenaline. “I think you’re not wrong,” He agreed. “River, you all right?”

“Bruised but otherwise unharmed,” She yanked her arm out of Stark’s grasp and twisted, kicking him in the midsection before she disabled the other two men and finished with another kick to Stark’s temple.

Riddick’s expression when he saw her bruised face and swollen lip was pure wrath. Quickly River moved towards him and shook her head, “Looks worse than it is. Aches but she is not incapacitated. _È yǒu 'èbào_.”

“Bad enough they put hands on you, but beating on you…” His mercury gaze was murderous. “Which one?”

“The one she kicked twice,” River shrugged. “Don’t know if he’ll get up again. Boot to the temple causes brain damage. A _gǒu tuǐ zi_ who _wèi hǔ zuò chāng_.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” Jacob remarked loudly. His glare made it clear he wanted the hillfolk to hear him. “If they gotta kidnap people to get ‘em here, could be scramblin’ their brains is best for everyone concerned.” Ty nodded his agreement.

Riddick’s hands were firm and careful on her shoulders as he looked down at her, examining her for further harm, “Anything else?”

“Groping is not damage and she has exacted retribution for the transgressions. Genitals might drop again eventually.” She smirked up at him, “The Patron is a murderer, killed the former Patron when he was recovering from an illness. Very _dǎ xiǎo suàn pán_. The kidnappings are at his behest.”

“That so,” Riddick stared at the man in question and began to stalk forward, as silent and deadly as the tiger he so resembled. “I don’t really care for people who kidnap women. I strongly dislike it when someone takes my crew. And I like them even less when they’re the same sons-a-bitches who tried to burn her for a witch when she was just a kid because she said a few things that you didn’t like.”

River looked back at the Patron, “Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.”

The Patron startled, his gaze flying to her. Riddick didn’t even need that distraction. In the blink of an eye his shiv sliced into the Patron’s belly, easily reaching the abdominal aorta. “I think this world’s better off without you in it.” He let the man fall and bleed into the dirt, turning without pause and looking around the village. “Anybody here, that don’t want to be here, speak up. We’ll take you down to our ship, do our best to get you where you need to go.”

He began to walk over to the man shackled to the forge, “If you got kids, a wife, someone you want to bring along, they’re welcome. Pack up whatever you can carry. You don’t have to stay.”

The ominous click of a gun stilled his movements but unlike Ty and Jacob, Riddick didn’t tense. “River?”

She nodded, her eyes on the thin weedy looking fellow with the pistol, “I got him.” She half smiled, “He’s got six shots at the most. And he doesn’t look any too steady either.”

“You’re gonna go on an’ leave,” The weedy man hollered his voice as thin as the rest of him. “Leave the woman or I’ll fill you fulla lead.”

“You can put the gun down or you can have a throat full of steel,” River had folded her arms, putting her hands close to her concealed knives.

“You ain’t got—”

River sighed and with a flick of her wrist the man was trying to speak around a dagger through his larynx. “Throat full of steel it is.” She looked around as she moved towards him and jerked the knife back out of his throat, standing aside to avoid the spray of blood. “Anyone else want to die today? Step on up.”

Riddick had started moving again when she’d given him the nod that she had him covered, crouching by the blacksmith’s ankles and wrapping big hands around the shackle. “Patron’s got the key,” The fellow told him shakily.

“We won’t need it,” Riddick grunted and with a twist of his powerful hands and a clatter the shackle broke in two at the hinge. “Whatever you want to bring, long as you can carry it.” He told the man.

“My wife… the woman they matched me with, she’s native here… but my daughter…” The man looked at his callused hands.

“I wouldn’t leave a dog to be raised by these people,” Riddick told him flatly. River nodded at him and strode briskly towards the house behind the forge.

The girl was only six, small for her age and likely undernourished. Her mother was a broadfaced straw-haired woman with watery green eyes. She might have been pretty once, but her looks had long since faded. “Who do you think—”

River rolled her eyes and looked at the little girl, “Violet Grace, do you love your daddy?” She got a shy nod in reply and smiled. “Do you have any toys or clothes that you want? So, you can go with your daddy?” Another nod. “All right, you show me where they are, and we’ll put them in a bag for you. Then we’ll pack up your Daddy’s things too.”

The little girl nodded and scampered over to a pallet near the stove, pointing at a crate which seemed to serve as her chest of drawers. River smiled and took the little girl’s hand, picking up the crate in the other and led the child out to her father. “Didn’t pack for you. Thought it best to remove her from the house first.”

Men’s clothing began to fly out the door accompanied by curses and Riddick laughed, “Guess we don’t need to go find your stuff.”

Ty brought a couple forward, the same ones who’d watched sorrowfully as River was brought into the village. “Boss, they’s carpenters. They’s on their way to Greenleaf, Jiangyin was just supposed to be a stop to drop off cargo. They’s sellin’ their things at the market an’ got snatched.”

River looked around and found Doralee, the schoolteacher who’d been just crazy enough to embrace the life she’d been pulled into. “She was also taken but seems to like where she is.” She commented, “Some might be like that.” She looked over at a woman who stood in the shadow of a man, a baby on her shoulder. “And some are too afraid of what will happen if they speak.”

“She one?” Riddick’s eyes had flicked towards the woman and her baby.

“Works with dyes, weaving and spinning,” River murmured. “Came with a group of traders and was taken a year ago. Married off to one of the ‘flock’ in order to bind her to them.”

“Not by choice I take it?” Riddick’s growl was almost inaudible.

“No,” River shook her head. “He isn’t abusive, but to him, she’s just his, like his gun or his dog.”

Jacob nearly let loose a growl of his own hearing that and River looked at him. “I might have trouble following orders ‘less I know someone’s able to enforce ‘em, but I don’t hold with treating anyone like they ain’t got basic rights.” He nearly stomped over to the couple and looked at the woman before glaring at the ‘husband’. “Miss, if you didn’t wanna be married, far as we’re concerned you ain’t. You wanna come with us you can. We won’t let nobody stop you.”

“And you can bring your things, anything you can carry. We’ll help you with the baby and your belongings,” River had followed Jacob hoping the woman would find her presence somewhat reassuring.

“Truly?” The woman seemed afraid to hope for freedom.

“Truly.” Jacob nodded, “You show me what’s yours, give me a bag, I’ll pack it up for you.”

River kept an eye on the husband, but he seemed disinclined to argue the point. Maybe because Jacob had handed River one of his guns as he entered the house. Maybe he didn’t care if his ‘wife’ left. There was so little thought in his brain it was hard to tell.

* * *

“Like ducklings,” River shook her head. All in all, there were five adults and three children belonging to them. She looked at Riddick and then at the people who were being rescued. “Room for one more?”

“We missing someone?” Riddick looked around curiously and River nodded.

“Ruby,” She moved unerringly to where the child was sequestered in the ‘sick house’, explaining as she went. “Ruby’s mother went crazy. She killed Ruby’s sister. Tried to kill Ruby too but she couldn’t. Then she killed herself. Ruby doesn’t speak.” She looked at the girl who might have been past fourteen now and wondered that no one had decided she should become someone’s wife. “If we leave her here…”

Riddick was very astute, “She’ll be someone’s ‘wife’ before a year is out. And she won’t be able to do anything about it.” He nodded, “Bring her too.”

River smiled at the girl, “Ruby? Do you remember me? We picked hodgeberries for my brother Simon when he was brought here to be the doctor.” Ruby nodded hesitantly. Her mind was full of questions, but she still didn’t voice them. River took a deep breath, “I’m on another ship, and this man, Rick, he’s the Captain there. If you come with us, we can teach you how to use your hands to speak, or type into the cortex and talk that way. Others are coming with us too.”

Ruby nodded and stood, moving quickly to a cupboard and pulling out a cloth bag, stuffing it full of her belongings and holding it close before moving to the door. River grinned, “All right. We’re ready then.” Ruby gave her a shy smile and River nodded, “Like Moses leading the slaves out of Egypt.”

Riddick was giving everyone in their houses a very hard eye when River and Ruby came back out to the ‘square’ and crossed over the muddy creek. “You want to try and follow us you can, but you’ll just end up bloody and dead for your trouble. I’d stop trying to kidnap folks. Sooner or later the law’s gonna get sick of it. Then you’re all dead.”

He looked at the little group of refugees and River caught a flash of his thoughts again, of another world, burning suns and desert, and another parade of escapees being led through the darkness. “This will end better than that did,” She told him quietly. “Lead the way. She will guard the rear.”

* * *

Bella was in her element, cooking up a storm and making sure all the ‘guests’ were settled in the dorms. She’d taken to Ruby like a duck to water and begun to teach her sign language. River had blinked at that and murmured that she guessed she wouldn’t have to look it up on the cortex.

Riddick had gathered names and original destinations from the kidnap victims and promised that as soon as they got near a comm buoy that they’d send waves to let their families know they were all right. While the men had been gone, Lizzie and Bella had gotten the fencing stored away and disposed of the absorbent mat. There was still a slight smell of sheep but once the air filters were changed that would fade quickly. The next time they landed at a proper dock they’d use the water hookups to hose the bay down if need be.

Jacob and Lizzie had also insisted that each of the ‘guests’ get inoculations and a basic checkup. They’d both been put through their paces as medics while Riddick had fussed over River’s black and blue jaw and swollen lip.

“Carries on like she was beaten half to death,” River murmured. Odd feeling, someone being so worried when they weren’t Simon. Once she’d left _Serenity_ no one had worried over her like this.

“Smells like it hurts you,” He muttered back. “I don’t like it. Put some salve and a cold pack on it.”

“Taken worse than a fist to the face,” River reminded him dryly as he dipped his fingers in witch hazel and smoothed it over her jaw. He was ruthlessly reining in his thoughts while he touched her which was a mixed blessing. It would be bad to start babbling about what she Read from him but at the same time, the clarity of his emotions was almost addictive.

“Not with me around you haven’t,” His growl was highly displeased.

“She will live,” River pointed out dryly.

“Damn well better.” Riddick smoothed a hand over her hair before lifting her down from the galley counter and leaving the room.

* * *

River heaved a sigh of relief as the last of the refugees disembarked. Bella and Lizzie had adopted Ruby so she’d be staying but one more person was much easier to deal with than nine.

“Yeah,” Riddick nodded his agreement. “Glad we did it, but glad they’re on their way too.”

“Exhausting,” She sat on the steps. “Hiding all the time.”

“You do that most days anyway,” He observed. “Crew don’t know even half of what you can do.”

“You either,” She pointed out. He had more to hide than she did, at least some days it seemed that way. His strength, greater than his height and muscle (no small matter themselves) suggested, and the advantage his senses gave him.

“With my eyes, kinda obvious there’s something different,” Riddick chuckled. “But you look…”

“Normal?” River rolled her eyes. “Looks are most assuredly deceiving.”

“Well yeah,” He shrugged, stripping off his shirt, and with a leap grabbed the rungs under the catwalk to do pullups. “And folks figure my eyes are something I had done. Like most folks get a shine job to see in the dark.”

“Or color changing tattoos?” She suggested dryly before making her way up to the catwalk and joining him. It was the only way to keep from staring at all those muscles. Until she figured out and settled in her mind that Riddick and her monster were one and the same best to not stare at him as if he were a meal she wanted to devour.

“You don’t wear specs so your genius can’t be explained away by data pulls and a mini cortex,” Riddick slanted a grin at her. “We could get you some blue lenses.”

“Pass,” She twisted and flipped to work her back muscles rather than her abdominals. “They know we’re different already. Got their first clue the second day when they saw us sparring.”

“Martial arts aren’t that uncommon,” He was rolling his eyes, she could tell by his tone of voice.

“The way we do them?” She slanted an incredulous look towards him. “Kung fu, to Tai Kwan Do to Judo, to Krav Maga and Karate? They don’t even have an official name for what I’ve been taught.”

“Sure, they do,” Riddick chuckled as he switched his own position to mimic hers. “It’s called going for the sweet spot. Every time.”

“It used to be ballet,” She sighed.

“Haven’t ever seen that,” He commented. “You any good?”

“Very,” River didn’t bother with false modesty. “If I hadn’t been a genius I could have been a prima ballerina on Osiris or Londinium.” Sometimes she wondered what that life might have been like, if she’d hidden her brain just a bit more.

“Maybe you’ll show me some time,” Riddick suggested. “Spar?”

She could appreciate the change in subject as they both dropped to the deck easily and flowed into one of their no holds barred fights.

* * *

Paquin was a planet of dichotomy. A gorgeous opera house, theatres, and high society, though it was out on the Rim. Paquin was where the rich on the Rim came to play or the Core wealthy decided to relax and enjoy more ‘rustic’ entertainment. On the surface it was beautiful, elegant and perfect. Underneath… well, the underbelly of any place was rarely so pretty as the surface. They’d gotten a shipment, theatre quality cosmetics, some props, and equipment for one of the theatres and a few slightly less legal goods to smuggle along with them.

Bella, Ruby and Lizzie were excited, having never been to the planet before, let alone the capital city of Sant-Denis. The men were less enthusiastic. They didn’t see anything appealing about theatre, opera or ballet. And they really didn’t want to get dragged out shopping for whatever it was the women wanted.

River looked up from her manifest, she and Bella had taken on the work of checking over the cargo to be sure nothing was left behind by mistake. It was something that needed doing but it wasn’t exactly rocket science.

Riddick was patiently going over the job with Ty, Lizzie and Jacob while Ruby studied a cortex screen. “What is it?” Riddick caught her eye.

“Something…” She frowned, tilting her head, listening, and Riddick glanced over at the open cargo bay doors.

“Problem?”

“Unexpected,” River put down the manifest after checking off the last of her list. “But not bad.”

“Gonna let the rest of us in on it?” Jacob asked curiously.

River grinned and ran down the ramp, throwing herself at the tall man in the long brown coat. “Cap’n Daddy!” She was conscious of Riddick and the crew staring behind her. “Thought I heard you.”

“Let the man breathe Looney girl,” Jayne’s rough voice admonished, and she obeyed only to throw herself at him.

“Man called Jayne,” She grinned up at him as he obligingly bent down for his hug. “Will be pleased to hear that the silencer for the sniper rifle works even better than expected.”

“Yeah?” That did please him greatly. “Have to see about workin’ on some more of ‘em.” He grinned and nodded in the direction of the ramp. River grinned back at him, he’d relaxed more, was genuinely glad to see her. Between waves and letters they’d gotten to know each other much better. They could truly be friends now she didn’t worry him anymore. Blue eyes flickered over _Liberty’s_ men and women, with a wicked gleam, “Think yer crew’s gonna catch flies.”

She laughed and beckoned them down, “Introductions must be made.” She presented Riddick to Mal and Jayne properly along with the rest of the crew.

Jayne blinked when he saw Ruby and heard her name, “Ain’t that—”

“Yes,” River nodded. “Jiangyin hill folk have not changed their ways. Baited a trap and sprang it. Took people away from them and killed a few who were going to continue the kidnapping.”

“Good,” Jayne nodded grimly. “One thing to hang around and get a girl to pay attention to ya. Another to grab her an’ cart her off.”

“Yeah, we didn’t take to that either,” Riddick nodded. His jaw was tight and his eyes a hard steely grey as he stared at the blue-eyed gunhand.

“On planet for long?” River looked at Mal, “Or off again quickly?”

“We’ve got some cargo we’re pickin’ up,” Mal shrugged. “Promised Jayne an’ Kaylee some R an’ R. So, we’ll be around for a day or so.”

“Taking Inara to the theatre?” River teased.

“The woman positively loves to torture me,” Mal complained. He glanced at Riddick who still wasn’t looking any too happy. “We’d best get on or she’ll skin me.”

“Wave us later, we can go drinkin’ an’ clean up at cards,” Jayne grinned at her. “Simon’s even gettin’ better at bluffin’.”

“Liar,” River laughed and waved as they left. Turning to regard Riddick she folded her arms, “What exactly crawled up your _pì gu_ and died?” His mind, for once, wasn’t as tightly controlled and the images of her wrapped around Mal and then Jayne and how he’d like to open them up from balls to brains flooded her mind. “Oh for— _Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi_ ,” She growled and stomped into the bay. “All the goods are here. We’re set for delivery.”

“And for the pickup later,” Bella added. The seamstress had a knack for keeping the cargo organized despite the chaotic appearance of the bay.

“Fine.” Riddick growled and jerked his head at the three gunhands, “Let’s go.”

River rolled her eyes and shut the doors behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So… yeah, you didn’t think that just because Riddick figured it out and told River that everything would be easy and simple going forward? Sometimes these two are too smart for their own good. Although to be fair to Riddick, he’s not the one dragging his feet. 
> 
> But to River, this is like having a pen-pal from off world and then finding out that the person is a classmate and friend. Everything that person does is suspect because they’re acting on information they couldn’t possibly have if they weren’t the pen-pal and keeping it secret. It’s not anyone’s fault, and she knows that, but it’s still embarrassing and upsetting and she has to come to terms with it. (Please don’t make me explain the concept of pen-pals to you folks who don’t write letters or use non-electronic mail.)
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> tā mā de (fucking)
> 
> È yǒu 'èbào (evil has its retribution (idiom); to suffer the consequences of one's bad deeds / sow the wind and reap the whirlwind - Hosea 8:7)
> 
> Xiā zi mō xiàng (blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經｜大般涅盘经); fig. unable to see the big picture / to mistake the part for the whole / unable to see the wood for the trees)
> 
> gāi sǐ (damned)
> 
> huài rén (bad person / villain)
> 
> gǒu tuǐ zi (dog's leg / fig. one who follows a villain / henchman / hired thug)
> 
> wèi hǔ zuò chāng (to act as accomplice to the tiger / to help a villain do evil – idiom)
> 
> dǎ xiǎo suàn pán (lit. to count on a narrow abacus (idiom); petty and scheming selfishly / concerned with petty interests / selfish and uncaring of the interests of others)
> 
> pì gu (butt)
> 
> Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi (script- Stupid son of a drooling whore and monkey)
> 
> Quote Sources:
> 
> If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you. – Deuteronomy 24:7
> 
> For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. - Romans 13:4
> 
> The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee. – Ezekiel 25:17
> 
> Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. - Jeremiah 30:23


	8. Seven

Jayne, Kaylee and Simon did invite her out that night, for drinking and cards, neither of which she found all that enjoyable. It had been good to reconnect with her family; hear how they were doing and more of the craziness that went along with trying to find a pilot and keep working their jobs.

Zoe hadn’t come out with them, opting to stay on _Serenity_ while everyone else was on leave. Inara and Mal were at some theatre, Mal in his nice suit with the tight pants Kaylee had admired, no doubt choking on his cravat. For all that the Captain acted like an unmannered _tǔ lǎo mào_ he knew how to behave at a fancy shindig. He might not like the parties and stuffy theatres, but he could play the gentleman reasonably well.

Inara, no doubt, had used her wiles to persuade Mal to attend the theatre. Though at least they were seeing a Western style production. Mal would be able to understand most of the words. River nearly grinned as she caught a glimpse of Inara’s plans. Henry the Fifth… well…so much for Mal understanding the words.

Jayne regaled her with tales of Kaylee and Simon’s courtship, which still (on occasion) went hilariously wrong due to Simon’s tendency to act like a boob. Thankfully, Kaylee had a better understanding of her suitor and didn’t take as much offense now as she had in Simon’s first year on _Serenity_. But every now and then Simon put his foot in his mouth just badly enough to amuse the rest of the crew while Kaylee glared at him until Simon figured out what he’d said wrong and apologized for it. To be fair, he never did it intentionally. He just seemed to be cursed with saying the exact wrong thing the way Mal was cursed with bad luck in general.

Simon bore the teasing with good humor, much more accustomed to Jayne and his tendency to poke at folks. He really hadn’t understood the gunhand’s ways until Kaylee commented on how closely Jayne’s teasing resembled her older brothers’ taunts. Once Simon understood that Jayne only teased people he considered family, the jibes and taunts were much easier to take. Jayne endeavoring to teach Simon the ins and outs of firearms helped somewhat as well. River smiled, in Jayne’s thoughts was Simon’s request to come with him to find a nice ring for Kaylee. Jayne didn’t want Simon to get robbed or swindled.

Jayne had asked for more details on how her test of the rifle silencer had gone and nodded with pleasure upon hearing how well it had performed. They’d talked for a bit while Simon and Kaylee danced bouncing ideas back and forth for other gun-smithing modifications. And they’d talked more seriously about Jayne’s family and his little sister and brother. The Damp Lung was still a problem for Mattie and was becoming one for Lucy as well. A gentle suggestion that perhaps they could find a job to take them out to see his folks and Simon might examine Jayne’s siblings was well received. Jayne nodded that he’d mention it to Zoë so she could run it by Mal. And some relief in his mind that there was at least a minimal plan in place to help his siblings.

Jayne’s thoughts flickered, warmth and life and affection when he thought of Zoë and River kept her sympathetic smile firm on her face. Jayne’s little crush wouldn’t go anywhere but it would be unkind to point that out. Hopefully he’d realize it for himself. Before he got too badly hurt.

She and Kaylee did at least get to have a nice discussion about engines, _Liberty’s_ versus _Serenity’s_ and the differences between ships. _Liberty_ being a newer ship, Kaylee didn’t trust the modifications made to the engines until River told her how well they worked on the slightly larger ship. The removal of the reg-couple for instance. The _Liberty_ employed Kaylee’s modification of plugging the g-line straight into the port-pin-lock.

“So you get extra speed with a secondary booster to offset the burn through and secondary g-line to compensate for the stress on the artificial gravity,” Kaylee nodded her understanding as River drew the design out on a napkin.

“Downside is the circuits and wiring need room to breathe,” River explained. “So I have to keep a good eye on the environmental controls. Those circuits or the wiring get overheated and I get shorts. Then I’d have to replace entire conduits of power lines and data cable.”

“No wireless signals?” Kaylee tilted her head, “I’d a thought a ship like _Liberty’d_ have those all over.”

River shook her head, “Too much interference inside the ship. A handheld cortex’ll work all right if you’re trying to send a signal off ship. Although it gets sketchier the closer you get to the engines. But sending anything wireless from one ship cortex to another… Between the energy of the engines, the g-lines and all the other systems… a wireless wave gets scrambled to hither and yon. Everything is hardwired.”

“Bet that makes it easy to tell where if somethin’ goes wrong though,” Her old friend grinned.

“That it does,” River grinned back at her as the men returned with another round.

She had enjoyed talking with Kaylee. Discussing engines and the potential for modifications gave her brain some mental stimulation in an environment which ill-suited her tastes. She couldn’t drink too much or she’d lose control of her abilities. And she hadn’t actually wanted to drink the bad whiskey since it wasn’t made for sipping. She couldn’t play cards since she counted them almost automatically and she’d win more often than not. Even if she hadn’t known all the little tells of her former crew. She’d usually win against strangers as easily, emotions and flickering thoughts were too easy to Read. Darts, billiards, axe throwing… she could take on all comers and win. Then everyone around her became hostile more often than not.

For entertainment she’d have rather gotten one of her fancy dresses on and gone to the Opera or ballet. Or the theatre like Inara and Mal. As it was she returned to _Liberty_ long before midnight and a whim had her digging out her toe shoes and short tulle skirt. Music playing softly on the cortex so it wouldn’t disturb anyone and after some stretching she was ready. The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy was a favorite and the steps were like meeting an old friend. Throwing herself into Swan Lake and then the Firebird afterwards was pure indulgence.

When she had finished she was sweating, and her feet ached but it was worth it. She took a seat in her usual spot on the steps and carefully unlaced her toe shoes, noting that none of the blood from her feet had gotten through to the satin.

“Bloody fuck,” Riddick’s voice was like a low thrum through the still air of the bay. All her skin seemed to tighten at the sound of it, her clothing suddenly too binding across her chest.

“Hardly,” River shook her head and stood, stretching carefully to cool down.

“What was…that?” His silver eyes were glowing in the dim light and suddenly she felt very underdressed. And vividly conscious of her nipples pressing against the bodice of her leotard.

“Ballet,” She shrugged and continued to stretch, doing her best to ignore her reaction to him.

“There are people as good as you on stage?” He seemed disbelieving and she laughed softly.

“They’re better,” She shook her head. “I’m out of practice, out of condition. A dancer takes classes daily, strives for perfection of form, interpretation, image… Dance is all about control, feeling each muscle as you move. I haven’t danced seriously in more than a year. This… this was an indulgence. That’s why I’m stretching, winding down, I’ll feel it tomorrow if I don’t.”

“It was fucking…art.” Riddick was blunt as a hammer but honest with it. He could do subtle, she knew he could, but he didn’t bother with it much. Not with her, not unless he was trying to figure something out. The compliment was as much of a shock as his admiration of her dancing. She knew he admired her practical skills, enjoyed her brain. But for Riddick to enjoy her dancing, honestly enjoy it and compliment her on it, when he likely hadn’t ever seen such a thing... No one looking at him would ever think he’d appreciate her dancing. Ballet was as foreign to him as opera was to Jayne.

“He is being kind,” She finished stretching and picked up her toe shoes pleased that she hadn’t stained them.

“No,” Riddick’s big hands settled on her shoulders and he inhaled with a frown. “You’re bleeding.”

“Just my feet,” River dismissed the issue. “That’s normal.”

“Your feet bleeding is normal?” Now he sounded as if he thought she’d lost a few marbles.

“Very few dancers get through a performance without bloody feet.” She informed him dryly, “We’re taught how to tape our feet, so the blood won’t mark the shoes. Dancers have the ugliest feet. But being able to dance…it’s worth it.”

“Well, finally seeing it…guess I can’t argue,” Riddick confessed. Before she could even begin to Read his intentions, he scooped her up and began to carry her upstairs. “But let’s get you bandaged up and some antiseptic on them at least.”

He put her on the couch and grabbed a medkit from the infirmary before he pulled her feet into his lap and began to gently clean the bloody blisters. “Never seen anything like that,” He admitted quietly. “Didn’t know it was possible for dancing to be like that.”

“Should attend an actual performance, Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty,” River told him with a half-smile. “The music with an actual orchestra, costumes and a stage full of dancers… it’s beautiful.”

“Dunno how much I’d enjoy it if it weren’t you doing the dancing,” Riddick told her as he smeared ointment over her feet and wrapped them in bandages. “But you pick out a good one, we could give it a try.” He’d helped her to her bunk once he’d treated her ‘wounds’ to his satisfaction and headed towards the bridge without another word leaving her wondering if he’d meant to ask her on a date or if it was some sort of strange reconnaissance mission.

* * *

Mal, Simon, Jayne and Kaylee had come by the _Liberty_ to say hello and goodbye, mostly to get another look at Riddick, her presumed Captain. Riddick had been his usual charming self though his antagonistic attitude had eased some when she’d called Mal Cap’n Daddy and referred to Jayne and Simon as her big brothers. It had eased further when both of them had called her _mèi mei_. Kaylee had handed her a basket that clinked and River knew the engineer had packed up some of her famous apple pie engine brew.

“Why are you so…rude whenever my old crew comes by?” She asked finally. Everyone else had gone to bed for the night, even Ruby had taken her novel down to her bunk to read. “I don’t belong on _Serenity_ anymore. They can’t afford to screw up or delay when they get a job. My Feelings would cause nothing but trouble for them. They should be nothing but trouble for you, but you don’t seem to mind it at all.” Riddick had actually sailed two days out of their way in order to help her deal with one of those Feelings. It hadn’t taken much doing once she’d gotten dirtside and taken care of the little problem that would have become a big one without intercession. But while Riddick had shrugged and simply changed course without quibbling, that two-day delay would have messed up _Serenity’s_ schedule near irreparably.

“They’re your past,” He said finally. “Your family. Guess I don’t like the thought of you missing them so much you’d leave.”

“It’s been seven months,” She reminded him quietly. “I’ve half expected you would want me to go, simply because of the trouble my Feelings and the need do something about them cut into our time working too much. But you never did. You’ve never acted as if it were a problem or inconvenience. If I were going to leave you’d know it by now.”

River wondered if there was any way to make that more clear, “They don’t need me. You don’t either really, you know the engines as well as I do. On _Serenity_ I’m a pilot because that’s the only job open, and I’m only that because Wash was killed. There’s resentment about me doing even that. I have to push against the boundaries, to make a place for myself. They don’t realize how much space they take, how stifled I felt there. I could only do so much, and then no more, or I’d be pushing someone else aside, horning in on their territory.”

She shook her head, trying to explain, “They all…they have gifts of their own. Talents that can’t be replaced. But with time I could do much of what they can. And the more I learned, of how to cook, mechanics, flying, doctoring… it was like I was trying to take their place from them. I couldn’t help learning, couldn’t help what they felt. You aren’t threatened by me. You don’t worry I’ll do something better than you and you won’t be needed anymore.”

“That’s why you left them?” Riddick looked more than a little pissed off about that. “That’s what they were thinking?”

“Not always, not all the time,” River shook her head again. “I could hear the little creeping doubts. Soft footed, whispering in their minds, fear of not being needed. As if my learning took from them. Took the value of their skills and made them less. They still let me learn. Never said no. But being on _Serenity_ …it was like living in a small room where I could touch two walls by stretching out my hands. Confined. But you want me here. You make room for me. You encourage me to learn and do whatever I want so long as it doesn’t endanger the ship or anyone on it. That makes a difference to me.”

“Hell, I want you period,” He told her flatly. “Not sure how I can convince you of that besides having you Read me like you did before.” He sipped from his mug before setting it down again, “Been trying to keep everything tamped down. Contained. Didn’t want to…broadcast.”

“You…” River frowned and shook her head. “She…I’m sorry. I still… I have trouble believing it.”

“Would you just fucking Read me then?” Riddick snarled. “Do you know what it’s like knowing you’re only across the hall from me? But you won’t talk to me at night? I dream of you, have dreamt of you, every damn night. Since I was twelve. And ever since you found out you won’t talk to me.”

“Didn’t know what to say,” She was blushing, and she hated it. “Talked to my monster every night I could…but… you weren’t just mine anymore.”

“You’re embarrassed because your monster is real,” He understood it, but he couldn’t seem to believe it, his expression incredulous. Put that way it did sound more than a little silly.

“Told you everything,” She pressed her palms to her hot cheeks. “Talked to you like I never talked to anyone. Saw me at my worst. Insane, babbling, begging for respite. Mad with secrets and voices and out of control.”

“That means that you don’t have to explain shit to me,” Riddick tugged one of her hands away and his big fingers moved over her palm. “Like I knew how to help with that spell you had. I get that you’ve never had anyone be able to do that before. But it’s not a bad thing.”

She was still blushing but when she considered things from his perspective it didn’t seem so terrible, “He will not grow bored?”

“I haven’t been bored with you ever,” He rolled his eyes. “Now c’mon. Take a look.” He took a breath and added, “Please.” A rare word from him and more persuasive than a thousand others.

“All right.” River nodded and took his hand in both of hers.

* * *

She thought she was prepared for the maelstrom of emotions that rose within him, having Read him like this before. But his feelings were so much more, deeper, so intense it was like standing in the center of a sun his heart blazed with so much heat and light. “Light… Need and Desire...” She murmured aloud, unable to stop herself. “Joy and Longing. Fear, Pain, Loss, and Fury.” Her hands tightened around his and she felt him react, pleased at her touch. “Fire. Pure as the sun.”

River forced her eyes open to meet his, glowing bright silver in the dim room, “He needs. Wants. All his will is bent upon her, to keep her for his own. Companionship. Partner. Lover. Warmth and touch and love.” The pure need inside him, the ache of longing was almost overwhelming, tears slipping down her cheeks as she felt everything within him. Pain like glass in his lungs that she could be so close, and he couldn’t touch. Rejection, abandoning him to solitary dreams. Anger that he wasn’t better. Disgust with himself as so ugly a person, such an animal that a good woman wanted nothing to do with him. Pride prickling at him, rising on his spine that he would prove himself superior in every way, make her want him, or regret the near inevitable rejection.

“No…” She shook her head, her hand sliding up his forearm, grasping one bicep, her hand didn’t even fit halfway around it she noted peripherally. “Riddick… No…” That word seemed to slice through him, a thousand cuts stinging and setting him to bleed inwardly and he tried to pull back.

“No!” Still caught up in his emotions, she could only follow him, pressing her body to his, her other hand reaching to cup his face. He jerked back and her heart twisted in her chest, “Please…” The word came out as a sob. “Please…Riddick…”

Something in her scent, her touch as her fingertips reached his jaw, set his eyes gleaming, the predator sensing opportunity and big hands curved around her waist, pulling her closer. That voice, like muted thunder, coffee and caramel, murmured her name, “River…”

“Need, Pain, Love…Hope…” She gasped the words out and the thought dawned in his mind, realizing she was still Reading him, reacting to his emotions, caught in the torrent he’d released when he told her to Read him.

“Shit,” He growled and set her away from him, her skin finally leaving his. Deep breaths, trying to regain her equilibrium, listening as he pulled in his thoughts, began to ruthlessly control his emotions to give her some respite. “Better?”

River nodded, “He has…such depth of emotion. Beyond anything she has felt. Wonderful and overwhelming, to have all of you concentrated on me. Couldn’t think…could only feel.”

“Hurt at all?” His concern, his voice rough with it, was a balm to her raw emotions. Everything she’d felt from him had been matched with an answering passion, now she was ruffled up, feelings running wild.

“Only when he hurt,” She shook her head, part of her wanting to reach for him again, reassure him. “Never want to hurt him. Good man. Decent. So rare.”

“Sure you’re not crazy,” Riddick’s mouth twisted sardonically. As in tune with him as she was, at least for now, she couldn’t miss the thought that no one sane would ever describe him as good or decent, or a man more than half the time. An unruly, wild, uncivilized animal, not to be trusted near gentle folk.

“He is,” The Reader frowned at him. “Cannot hide what he is. Not from her.”

“Then what’s it gonna be?” His voice was carefully rough and unfeeling, his last attempt to conceal how much her answer meant to him.

“She has missed talking to him, missed her friend,” She told him. “Don’t wish to reject him. Nor imply he is not good enough. But she is… inexperienced.”

“Well yeah, I got that from the whole ‘men think I’m a shrew’ thing you told me about,” He shrugged.

“When she became sane, Inara and Simon gifted her with the experience she would have received at seventeen,” River shook her head. “A male companion, to introduce her to the joys of intercourse.”

“They bought you a whore? How’d that work with you being a Reader?” Riddick was not thrilled with Simon and Inara, wondering how they could think that would be satisfying for her.

“Physically, worked fine. Virginity was no longer a problem if she found a man who could tolerate her or whom she could tolerate,” She made a face. “Otherwise…felt the experience was lacking. All physical. No emotion. No concern beyond that of a Companion for a client. Professional, not intimate. Kind but…dispassionate. Would have been fine but false intimacy with a Companion cannot fool a Reader.”

“And you haven’t been with anyone since?” Dark silver eyes were examining her thoughtfully. The animal in him was deeply satisfied by the idea that he would be the first man to touch her that mattered. A whore wasn’t a lover. Wasn’t someone who would treasure what she could share with him.”

“She has found that toys are adequate to fill her needs and have none of the disturbing distance that whores do,” River told him with a shrug. “Years of knowing no one’s touch but her own.” She eyed him thoughtfully, “He is sure he would wish to deal with her?”

“Deal with you?” Riddick stared at her for a moment. Before she could Read his intent in his mind or on his face, Riddick had stood so quickly his chair fell over. Those huge hands closed around her upper arms and yanked her out of her chair. One arm banded around her waist, pressed her to his chest and his forearm supported her spine while his hand closed around her hair. He yanked her head back and stared down at her for a moment and River caught her breath at the sheer hunger on his face. The carefully neutral expression had disappeared. “Oh, I’ll deal with you all right.”

His mouth, hot and hard on hers, devouring and demanding her attention. He'd gone from looking down at her to kissing her, again before she could react. Those lips against hers, that mouth, tasting and caressing, devoured any objection she might have had. The heat inside him, so carefully tamped down, blazed to life again as he kissed her.

Moans, whimpers and mewls of need, inarticulate begging for more and they were coming from her throat. Her hands fluttered, unsure of what to do, and came to rest on his shoulders as she opened her lips to his mouth. Responding to his lips seemed to simply enflame him, his tongue pressed forward, stroking boldly against hers. River shivered and when his mouth drew back tried to chase it with hers.

"If you don't stop me I'm taking you to bed," He rasped, whiskey, smoke and thunder through his voice, and gave her a little shake as if to get her attention, "But once we start, I won't stop. You’re going to be mine River Tam. I won’t let you go. I won’t be able to let you go."

"She doesn’t… doesn’t object…" She couldn't get her brain to work correctly with her blood so heated. "Wants him. For so long… Only wish she could be prettier for him."

"You really oughta get tested for insanity again," Riddick told her with a smirk. "Or else your eyes are bad." He bent and pressed his face to her neck, "You smell so fuckin' good it's gotta be a sin." His lips were moving over her pulse point under which said pulse was beating at a rate that should have been cause for some alarm. "You’re fuckin’ beautiful. You move like art and you’re brilliant. Like a goddamn feast for all my senses. You being a trained killer is just a bonus." That hand that hadn’t wrapped her hair around his fist cupped her pì gu and squeezed, "So what's it gonna be?"

She could feel his body's reaction to hers, pressed so closely to him as she was. There was no hiding his need for her, his emotions spilling over the dam he’d walled them behind. “She is his. Has been for years. To be in his bed…for the rest of her life… he will have to get used to her.”

"You've gotta be the strangest fucking woman," He was nibbling on her skin now, a low groan in his throat. "But damned if I don’t fuckin’ love it. C'mon," He started to move, carrying her easily until she was sitting in his lap. His hands were removing her clothing, and his mouth was doing shockingly wonderful things to her neck. She’d never have thought teeth, scraping over her nape and tugging on her skin would feel so good. All she could think was she wanted his teeth everywhere.

Moaning seemed like such an inarticulate way of expressing her appreciation, but his shirt was stubborn even as her hands tugged at it. When her top hit the floor the cool ship air tightened her breasts almost painfully and Riddick groaned his approval. "Take off your clothes," River demanded breathlessly.

He growled in frustration but pulled off his shirt and slid her off his lap to deal with his pants and boots. "You take too long," He muttered and tugged off her skirt before his big hands pulled the brief set of panties she wore down her legs, exposing her entirely to his hot mercury gaze. “Fuck me, you’re so goddamn beautiful.”

He'd pulled her up to strip off the last of her clothing, his hands hot and rough but they still felt good on her skin. Finally she was able to look at him, the dim light showing just enough of his darker skin and his very large body, in particular his very erect _jī ba_. Before she could do more than move her hand forward and attempt to touch he was pulling her close.

"Scared?" His voice was low and warm against her lips as he kissed her before and after the question.

River gasped as Riddick set her down on the couch and knelt between her thighs pulling her to the edge of the cushions. "Nervous, not afraid," She whispered against his mouth. “Trust you.”

“Good,” He skimmed his hands over her body, palms squeezing her thighs, pushing them wide apart to look down at her, an appreciative gleam in his eyes before he cupped her _wài yīn_ with one big hand and rubbed the heel against her clit. She could feel his satisfaction at the low moan that fell from her lips, smiling before he cupped one breast and palmed it, rubbing carefully as he leaned forward to kiss her again, drinking in her moans. Careful, gently possessive, his hands moved, learning her, her sensitivity, what made her moan and tremble.

It felt like forever that he teased her, his lips sucking on her neck, tracing her ears, fingers gently circling her nipples, drawing them tight before rolling them between his fingers, a pale imitation of his mouth. She could feel her nether lips, swollen, pressing to his hand, aching and slick, “Please…” She gasped the word against his lips. “Please Riddick…”

“Only gonna have one first time with you,” He left off worshiping her neck for a moment and she felt more than saw him looking around as if only just realizing where they were. “’Course, probably ought to get you to my bunk. One of the crew walks in and interrupts us I’ll kill whoever it is out of sheer fuckin’ frustration.” With an impatient growl he kissed her hungrily before he helped her stand on weak legs. “I’ll grab our clothes. Go on down to my bunk.”

She nodded, dizzy with sensation, and managed to walk through the galley and the short distance down the hall to Riddick’s bunk, opening the hatch and carefully climbing down.

* * *

It was only a moment later the hatch opened again, and Riddick dropped down, unceremoniously shutting it, locking it and the door to the hall after he dropped their clothing on the rug and moved towards her.

The brief pause had done nothing to diminish his arousal and he seemed even larger in the smaller room. She’d barely blinked before his hands were settling on her hips and gently sitting her on the edge of the bed, spreading her thighs again and inhaling her scent in what was obviously appreciation, “Fuckin’ delicious.” He groaned and cupped her again. “So hot and wet, for me...” He sounded awed.

“Yes,” River whispered and his gaze flew to her face. “All for you. All of me,” She reached for his face, petting him gently and in a surprisingly tender gesture he turned and kissed her palm before pressing it to his chest, fitting it unerringly to the handprint on his chest.

“All of me,” He growled. “For you.” His hand shifted between her thighs and she moaned loudly as two of his fingers slid deeply inside her, his thumb resting on her clit, pressing lightly. “Fuck you’re tight.”

Her hips twitched hungrily, and she felt him make another decision, lifting her to lie back on the bed, stretching out beside her, his hand still between her thighs. Breathless she could only watch him as Riddick bent his head down to her _shuāngrǔ_ and licked her tight aching nipples. “Ooohh… oh…” River arched up to his mouth, unknowingly taking his fingers deeper and moaned again at the sensation. “Riddick…”

“Yeah,” His voice was like velvet against her skin as he began to suck gently on her sensitive _rǔtóu_. “God, so fucking beautiful,” His mouth moved between her breasts as his fingers slowly stroked in and out of her, probing her deeply until he hit one spot that made her cry out in pleasure.

“Riddick…unghh…” She writhed under his mouth, pinned to the bed by his hand and lips as he began to rub that spot with each unerring stroke. River shuddered, mewled and found herself begging for him to do something, anything, fuck her, fuck her hard, make her fall until he’d filled her with three of his fingers so deeply that she screamed.

It burst over her like a storm, building from her belly and leaving her nothing but flotsam in its wake, panting and trembling with the remnants of bliss. At some point Riddick had taken her hands and held her wrists in his grasp over her head, exposing her completely, stretching her tight until she was mindless.

His mouth on hers was gentle as he eased her down, big hands rubbing over skin pricked with goosebumps, pulling her against the heat of his body and soothing her, “Mine.” Riddick told her firmly and kissed her again, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and eating her moan. “Made you all messy…” He slid his fingers out of her and licked them clean with the pleasure of a gourmand. “You taste… fuck…like apples and sugar.” He gave her a wicked smile that turned her knees to water, “I think I oughta lick you clean.”

He must have damaged her brain with the convulsions of pleasure he’d made her feel. River could only blink at him and try to fathom his meaning. Before she could make sense of anything he’d said she was on her back and Riddick was moving down her body, spreading her legs again and licking the tender skin of her inner thighs with a thoroughness that told her everything about what he planned to do with her. “He…He is…” She lost the power of speech again as his mouth licked up to her bare lips and slid through them with a groan of pleasure.

“Fuck yes I am,” Riddick muttered against her skin, licking and tasting her, growling in enjoyment before he slid his tongue inside her. Something about that just made her melt, she could feel her insides simply dripping down her thighs and he groaned again.

She hadn’t known she could feel like this, on fire and aching, desperate and out of control. He licked and sucked until she was clean and then wrapped his mouth around her _yīn dì_ and flicked the extremely swollen and sensitive flesh with his tongue until she was screaming his name, her hands clutching his scalp, practically humping his mouth as she fell in a hot rush.

“Fuck yeah,” Riddick was all satisfied male, heat and desire filling him, pride at how he was pleasuring her, his woman. Proving to her that he would take care of her, that she would always be satisfied in their bed.

She nearly whimpered for mercy when he bent his mouth to her again, teasing and tasting, her _yīn dì_ so sensitive it only took a tiny caress before she was winding tight again, spreading her thighs in an unspoken plea for more.

Slow and careful this time, his lips and mouth built her up again, teasing and gentle, her hips twitching and trying to roll up to him for more before he stopped and rose over her; settling his body on top of hers, his elbows supporting his upper body while his hips pressed against hers, _diǎo_ trapped between them. The hard rod of flesh pressed down on her _yīn dì_ and she mewled in need. “That’s my woman, my River,” His voice like chocolate and coffee and whiskey as he kissed her.

She could taste herself on him, feel his chest teasing against her breasts, just enough pressure for her to feel it, not enough to satisfy. “Please… Riddick…” He’d taken her hands in his, holding her down for a moment before releasing them and she petted his scalp and shoulders, trying to roll her hips under his.

“Yeah,” Riddick kissed her again, hungry and desperate now himself and his need became so obvious as he shifted. She could feel him, taking himself in hand, forcing his body to hold back, a tight clamp-like grip at his base as the wide blunt head rubbed and pressed slightly against her opening.

“Unghh…” It was the worst sort of tease, feeling him there, having him so close and not giving her what she needed so badly. “Riddick… my Riddick… please…please…need you…” She could feel his control straining as she begged and he groaned, easing forward and filling her slowly as she panted under him. “Ohh…oh…merciful Buddha…” She moaned as she stretched around him, nothing could have prepared her for how it would feel.

Thick and hot, as if he would split her in two, her body aching with bliss as he pressed forward and hit that spot, that spot his fingers had found, pushing against it and she couldn’t hold it back, with a wail of his name she convulsed under him, her back arching, hips jolting to his and taking him in completely with a scream of pleasure. “Riddick!”

“Fuck me,” His growl was pure animal as he withdrew and surged forward again. His body seemed to surround hers, his mouth on her neck, her lips, hands squeezing her _shuāngrǔ_ and _pì gu_ , hips pounding to hers as she moaned and cried out for him again and again.

She couldn’t think, didn’t want to think, there was nothing else but Riddick and his body and hers and how they fit together, pleasure building upon pleasure until she couldn’t be sure where she ended and he began. Salt filled her mouth as she shrieked his name again, the scent of copper, and a moment later his roar of satisfaction and a hot ache in her shoulder, throbbing with the fast beat of her heart.

8888

Her dreams were filled with him. Silver eyes caressing her, careful hands and a gentle mouth touching as if she was fragile. Hot palms squeezing her thighs and she woke to find his mouth between her legs again, sucking on her yīn dì until she was begging for him to fuck her again.

He rolled on his back and pulled her on top of him, showing her how to ride his _diǎo_ as if he were a horse, and she could feel his awe at a dancer’s muscle control as she rose and fell, taking him to the edge with every squeeze of her body until his hands grasped her hips and he began to move her on and off of him, throwing her out of that structured mind space and spinning out of control as she came around him again and again and once more as he erupted inside her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: And…here we are again. These two have finally gotten their act together. I hope you all enjoyed.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> tǔ lǎo mào (hillbilly / yokel / redneck / bumpkin)
> 
> mèi mei (little sister)
> 
> pì gu (butt)
> 
> jī ba (dick / penis)
> 
> wài yīn (vulva)
> 
> shuāngrǔ (breasts)
> 
> rǔtóu (nipples)
> 
> yīn dì (clitoris)
> 
> diǎo (cock)


	9. Eight

When she woke up again Riddick was smoothing a salve over her shoulder and covering her with a bandage, his mercury eyes like iron with worry. She frowned as she saw the bloody imprint of her teeth in his neck, “She hurt him?”

“Nah,” He shook his head touching the marks of her teeth with a grin. “Fuckin’ loved it. Drove me right out of my mind. Enough that I bit you back.”

River studied the bandage on her shoulder, it was closer to her neck than she’d thought at first, at the bottom of the curve where her neck and shoulder met. “Felt good,” She offered shyly.

“Shouldn’t be putting marks like that on you,” Riddick frowned in displeasure and she could hear him berating himself for a dumb animal to bite a woman the first time they were together. So close to him, skin to skin, and he berated himself for following his instincts as if she hadn’t encouraged him.

She scowled at him and ripped the carefully applied bandage off, wiping off the salve and climbing into his lap. “She likes that you marked her,” For the first time, she kissed him, rubbing her mouth against his and wrapping her legs around his waist. “Felt good. Felt right.”

His hands slid up her back and into her hair instinctively wrapping her in his arms, “Doesn’t hurt you?”

She shrugged, “Stings, as his does. But it is a good ache.” She kissed his neck where she’d bitten him and licked the mark, feeling the slight shudder of his skin under her tongue. “He likes this.”

“Well, yeah…” Riddick was nuzzling her, inhaling her scent.

“He wants to fuck her from behind. Bite down on the nape of her neck, mark her, for everyone to see. So when her hair is up the mark of his teeth can be seen.” River, this close to him, touching him, could easily read the position in his mind and rubbed her _shuāngrǔ_ against his chest. “He is so big…he will feel so very large and deep inside her…” Her palms slid over his chest and experimentally she tugged on his nipples, eliciting a growl of pleasure.

“You’re sure you want that,” His voice was dark hot growl of need. “I take you like that…”

“Won’t be able to stop, won’t be able to control the animal, will mount her and fuck her until he’s knotted inside her,” River nearly purred at the thought. Of course it wouldn’t be literal but the sentiment was the same.

“Ain’t that much of an animal,” Riddick muttered forcing her to bend back over his hands and lifting her so he could fix his mouth to her _rǔtóu_ , sucking hard. Some inner Sight or Feeling told her she’d be right in her terminology if only figuratively, for all that Riddick didn’t seem to realize.

“Hasn’t ever wanted to mark another,” She mewled as he sucked one breast and then the other, one arm bowing her back over it, the other squeezing and teasing her _gāng_ , his thoughts of what he would do with her flowing into her mind. “Unghh…he wants her… to know he is her first… fill her in every way.”

“Fuck yes,” Hot silver eyes stared down at her. “Want you on your knees, fuck your pretty mouth with my hands in your hair, holding you where I want.” She’d known he wanted that but hearing it…his voice sent her _yīn dì_ throbbing between her thighs and his nostrils flared as her scent filled the air. “You’re gonna take it…and then I’m gonna be the first to have that pretty ass…so tight and hot around my dick…” Riddick’s voice was a hungry animalistic snarl even as he continued to suck on her breasts.

“Yes,” She shuddered trying to move so she could kneel in front of the bed for him.

“No.” He threw one of the pillows to the floor and wrapped her hair around his fist before positioning her carefully, so her knees were on the pillow, spread just enough for his hand to play with her _yīn xué_ and _gāng_. His _diǎo_ was already engorged and bobbed forward as he sat down on the bed in front of her. River leaned forward, aching for him between her thighs already and moaned as his fist in her hair stopped her. He wrapped his free hand around his _diǎo_ and rubbed the head over her lips. “So beautiful.”

“Please,” She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes and saw an answering flash of need in his eyes. “Riddick.”

“You just lick it and then wrap your lips around it and suck…” He instructed and groaned when she began to do just that. Hot and salty flesh, seeping with the saltier slightly bitter taste of his seed, slowly pushed into her mouth, stretching her lips around him until he hit her throat and pulled back. “So good…” Riddick groaned as he eased back. “So goddamn sexy… gonna fuck your mouth a bit…”

She’d never have thought this position would be enjoyable. Riddick’s _diǎo_ sawing back and forth in her mouth, her hand cupping his balls. But she was slick and aching. “Touch your clit River,” Riddick urged her. “Play with your clit for me while I play with your tits.” His hand didn’t need to hold his cock anymore, reaching for her _shuāngrǔ_ and tugging on her nipples, rolling them in his fingers as she mewled and began to rub her _yīn dì_.

“Fuck you’re beautiful,” He groaned and she could feel him growing harder in her mouth, like velvet over steel, pushing her teeth to the back of her lips, making them swell from the rough treatment. “Unghh…fuck… River…” His balls in her hand tightened and he growled, his hips jerking, his fist in her hair holding her in place as he shot into her mouth.”

She wouldn’t have considered kneeling before him to be powerful, but as she swallowed and then began to carefully lick and suck him again, feeling his _jī ba_ hardening in her mouth, hearing his low groan of pleasure at the feel of her lips and tongue… Riddick was at her mercy for all that her hair was wrapped around his fist and his fingers teasing her _rǔtóu_. The sensation of his body, swelling to its full thickness, filling her mouth, the way he groaned and panted her name, he belonged to her, now more than ever and she understood his desire and need to pleasure her with his mouth much more thoroughly.

Physical contact, his emotions free of constraint…Reading him became so easy. His mind was filled with memories and fantasies, all of them centering around her, how she looked when he’d filled her that first time, the sound of her shocked pleasure and the taste of her skin and juices. He wanted to be the first and last to have her, settled for being the first after the Companion, and his pride wouldn’t allow him to be compared unfavorably to any other male. He was possessive, some might find him disturbingly so but it was wound up with so much protection and need to be good/best/loving for her that she’d never felt so safe. Nude and vulnerable but with him, she was as protected as if she were wearing guns and body armor.

There was worry, in the back of his mind, that he’d frighten her off, that he’d act too much the animal, disgust her in some way. Wondering if he should put off having her last bit of virginity until she was more used to him. Considering some way to keep from biting her and marking her again.

River pulled back and wrapped her hand around the shaft of his _diǎo_ , rubbing the head over her lips and licking it lovingly, “He will have her _pì gu_ now? Make her his in every way?” She leaned forward and rubbed her _shuāngrǔ_ against his _jī ba_ so it rested between them, hard _rǔtóu_ brushing against his thighs. “Never had so much pleasure… not with the Companion, not with her toys.”

“Maybe we oughta look into those toys,” Riddick mused and she felt him wondering if that would be a good way to introduce her to anal play. A toy more slender than his cock, to get her accustomed to the act.

“If he wishes to use a toy on her _pì gu_ she has several that are smaller than Riddick,” She tilted her head, “All are actually smaller than he is.” She withdrew her hand from between her thighs, aching too badly for him to touch anymore. “Please,” River pressed a kiss the palmprint over his heart. “Make her yours. Completely.”

“Want to,” He admitted gruffly. “Don’t want you hurting though.” Riddick’s hand squeezed her _pì gu_ and he drew her closer. “It’s very…”

“He is very large,” River nuzzled him, her mouth on his neck, licking the bitemark and sucking on his jugular. “She will tell him, if it is too much.” His hand slid between her cheeks, using her own juices to toy with her and she moaned softly at the sensation. Different, so different, but burning hot. His own desires, to see her, dominate her in that way, know she was allowing it, surrendering to him, he fought his own needs. “Riddick, please… he needs this. His woman. Giving everything. As you have given.” She kissed his jaw. “If he does not believe she is pleased, he will stop. He will be able to tell.”

His growl was one of surrender and she shuddered as desire rolled over her body, the sound of it prickling her skin with need. “You’re gonna ride me, take it that way,” He told her firmly. “If you like it, after, we’ll put one of your toys in you, I’ll fuck you from behind, get you filled up good.” His mouth was hard and hungry as he pulled her into his lap and reclined back on the bed, helping her get situated before he sat up and his hands really went to work on her.

It was impossible to explain just how good it felt. His fingers, coated in a massage oil, rubbing against her _gāng_ , pushing in slowly as she gasped and tried to open for him, rolling her hips back with a moan. His eyes had gone hot as mercury at that sound of her pleasure and he’d growled, slipping another finger inside her before scissoring them, stretching her carefully while his mouth sucked and nibbled on her _shuāngrǔ_. He’d been insistent that she play with her _yīn dì_ , so she was aching from teasing herself for so long.

The length of his _diǎo_ was a firm pressure between her cheeks once he’d readied her enough and held her hips to keep her from trying to push back onto it too soon. “You fuckin’ wait,” He growled and spread her cheeks with his hands, positioning her over his _diǎo_ and rubbing the head against her _gāng_. “Gonna be tight… you need to stretch…” He groaned, “So take it slow…”

So thick…stinging hot, burning pleasure as she sank carefully downwards, gasping as he began to penetrate, “Unghh…ohhh… god… Riddick…” Her fingers slid towards her _yīn dì_ again, desperate for release now as he filled her inch by inch, “Unghh…need…”

He’d kept his feet on the floor and sat up now, his fingers pushing hers aside, three of them sliding inside her, his thumb on her _yīn dì_ , “That’s it… fuck you feel good,” Riddick groaned against her _shuāngrǔ_. “Take a little more if you can…”

She was almost fully seated in his lap now, his hand between their bodies, fingers fucking her slowly as she took his _diǎo_ as deep in her rear as she was able. “Ohhh… so…” She shuddered, aching for something, not sure what. “Riddick…please…” Her hand wrapped around his bicep, Reading him, searching for the last time he’d had a woman like this, knowing it was inevitably linked in his mind. He’d had her bent over the foot of the bed, legs spread wide, fucking her roughly while his palm came down with a smack on one tanned cheek. Every time his hand smacked her, she jumped and moaned, and his pleasure grew, her body tightening, going further into pleasure.

The image was so erotic, and so unlike anything she’d experienced that she shuddered hotly, her body breaking out in gooseflesh, _rǔtóu_ pebbling, and squeezing his fingers and _diǎo_ inside her. “Please…” She moaned as she finally took him in completely, his balls rubbing against her slit he was so deep. “Do that to her… need it… please… Riddick…”

That hot silver gaze seemed to burn white as he realized what she must have Read from him. His teeth tugged on her earlobe and she shivered as his voice rolled over her skin. “You want me to spank you River? Make you jump and get tighter and tighter until you burst with it?”

“Yes…” She had no idea why, there’d been no desire for such things when he’d had her in other ways. But this… “Dominant…” She rubbed her breasts against his chest. “Please… she is his… submits…” The swell of need inside him was like lightening, sizzling through the air as he realized what she was giving him. Trusting him to take care of her, to take charge in this instance, and let her fall completely, knowing he would never hurt her. Giving him control when she’d never ceded that to another (voluntarily) in her life.

“Sweet, good, perfect little River,” Riddick crooned in her ear and his palm caressed and squeezed her _pì gu_. “Make you forget everything but pleasure. My woman.” His palm came down, a hot slap of his hand against her _pì gu_ , just hard enough to startle and sting a bit, but never enough to bruise. She moaned, feeling everything begin to melt away. There was only Riddick, and the sweetness of his mouth and the sting of his palm and the hard, thick, _diǎo_ shoved up her _pì gu_ , reminding her she belonged to him.

His hips began to roll slightly as he spanked her, his fingers and thumb working her _yīn dì_ and sheath while his _diǎo_ shifted in her _pì gu_ just enough for pleasure this first time. She couldn’t think, everything was white hot, bright and filling her to her fingertips, every muscle taut, her skin swelling until she was convinced she’d burst out of it. Riddick’s voice was in her ear, praising her, low earthy words about her body, how good and perfect and beautiful he found her, and what he would do to her later, driving her insane with need.

She could feel it building, like a long low moan in her throat, his hips shifting more roughly now, hot breath in her ears, his voice a growling demand until she couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t hold together, it was too hot, too bright, too…

She screamed, a supernova seemed to blow through her body, heat burning through her, shaking her violently against him, his arms banded around her, holding her to him, grounding her, keeping her safe as tears of joy overflowed.

* * *

River woke later, mouth dry, and shifted cautiously, sighing in contentment as her body ached pleasurably, twinging in a lovely reminder of everything she and Riddick had done. He wasn’t in bed with her though, opening her eyes, he wasn’t even in the room. Her gaze fell on the clock and widened, she’d far later than normal.

Lying back, she cautiously opened her mind and listened for Riddick and the crew. The crew had gathered in the kitchen, Bella was making breakfast. The door to the galley had been closed, no doubt in the hope of letting her rest. Riddick was in the shower, half his mind on the job they had to do in a couple hours and half worrying over her.

With a sigh she began to push herself out of bed, stretching and limbering up her muscles to ease the aches of ones she hadn’t used in years and in some cases, ever. Riddick must have been listening for her because no sooner had she begun to look for something to wear than the door to the lower hall opened and Riddick strode into the room.

“Fuck,” He took two steps towards her and wrapped her up in his arms. “The fuck woman,” Riddick’s worry flowed over her. “You passed out.”

River shook her head, “He made her feel so good… no experience with pleasure like that. Couldn’t contain it. Felt him fill her and was overwhelmed.”

He shook his head and kissed her, “Still docked. You got time for a shower and something to eat. You gonna be okay for the job?”

She smiled up at him, “She will be fine. Might even be able to talk straight.” She bit her lip, a bit shy suddenly, “He wants her to stay with him tonight?”

“Far as I’m concerned may as well move your things in here,” Riddick gave her a look that said she was acting silly. “You’re mine.” He gave her _pì gu_ a squeeze and kissed her again, “And tonight, plan to have you on your hands and knees, fuck you like an animal.”

She shivered against him, “Could do that now.”

“Yeah, but we’d be rushed,” Riddick growled down at her and pulled her up against his body, rubbing his hands over her back. “And I plan to take my time with you. My woman.” He kissed her again, and she got the brief impression that he felt like he couldn’t help himself.

“My Riddick,” River murmured softly, still feeling shy about claiming him. The pleased look in his eyes and warmth that filled him when she said it was more than reassuring. She touched his neck where she’d bitten him, noticing the mark wasn’t healing as quickly as the Reaver bites had. “He wears a shirt to show his mark.”

Touching him, it was easy to feel the pride that filled him to bursting that she’d wanted him enough to mark him. “Yeah,” He kissed her again and reluctantly put her down. “All of me, all for you.” Silver eyes darkened, “Less you’re changing your mind?”

She knew her finger wouldn’t hurt him, though he flinched like it did, possibly to accommodate her, as she poked him. “All of her for him. Always.” She reminded him, “She is all in. She is his.”

“Good,” He took his hands off her as if her skin was metal and his hands magnetized. His grin flashed across his face like lightning, “We can move your stuff after the job.”

* * *

The shower eased her muscles last bit of soreness and she realized that at some point Riddick had taken care of her, cleaning her sensitive (and thoroughly pleasured) parts tenderly and bandaging her feet as well as rubbing lotion over any spot his whiskers might have chafed. Another kiss as he braided her hair with a smile. Fresh clothing and she pulled on her boots before they climbed up to the hallway and headed to the galley.

Second nature to move quietly. Second nature for both of them to be cautious. Rightly so as it turns out. The two of them had completely forgotten one little detail…

"We been sailin' with the Big Evil," Ty muttered over his coffee and River sent Riddick an alarmed look.

Lizzie frowned, "What evil?"

"Not what, who," Jacob explained, "The Big Evil--Richard B. Riddick. Escaped convict. Murderer. Hearsay is he's rabid as a Reaver."

"You sure about that?" she asked.

Jacob raised a brow, "He seem rabid to you, Liz?"

The gunhand grunted, "I meant are ya sure it's Riddick?"

Bella snorted, "Either that was Riddick or River was mighty confused durin' all that screamin'."

"Sounded like he was killin' 'er," Ty remarked with a pensive expression.

Jacob chuckled heartily, "On that, I'm positive. Killt her five or six times, I'd say."

River looked at Riddick and closed her eyes, half mortified, half terrified. She’d screamed his name, over and over… he’d bellowed hers… And now the crew knew their Captain was Riddick.

Her lover took one look at the door and pointed at the bridge, taking her hand and tugging her gently to the most secure place on the ship. The minute the door closed she closed her eyes and opened her mind to the crew. “Confused,” She murmured. “Trying to reconcile the Killer with the Captain. Caring man who won’t stand for slaving with a murderer. Sees you with me, with Ruby, taking on passengers without fares so kidnapped folk can get home… Confused…thinking, not sure what conclusions to draw.”

Riddick relaxed slightly but shook his head. “This could be really good or really bad,” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. “Got any suggestions?”

“Brazen it out,” River shrugged. “Act as if we didn’t hear them. Keep an eye on the situation? They haven’t done anything. And if they do… I’ll be listening for it.”

“Short of killing all of ‘em now…” Riddick kissed her. “Yeah. Act like we didn’t hear anything.” The two of them made their way back down to the galley and slid the door open.

“Appreciate you letting River sleep,” Riddick commented as he poured them both coffee. He wore a shirt that displayed the mark she’d put on him with pride.

And kissed her in front of the entire crew, grinning as she blushed. Jacob and Ty hooted and Lizzie handed Bella two plat and Ruby one. “I won the bet, didn’t think Rick’d last much longer once he saw you go out with that big blue-eyed fella,” Bella grinned at her. Whatever the crew might be thinking of their Captain, they weren’t acting as if he’d kill them all where they stood. Maybe this would work out well… have to see.

River shook her head, blushing hotly and sat down at Riddick’s left with her plate, “Worse than a sewing circle.” She rolled her eyes conscious of Riddick studying her thoughtfully. Some carefully intent listening revealed his concern that maybe she hadn’t wanted to ‘go public’ with their new relationship. Even if the crew had overheard them, they could have been more circumspect about it.

Eating for a moment to gather her thoughts she took a breath and nudged his foot with hers, smiling at him shyly. “Might not like gossip,” She explained. “But also, don’t want to hide. Not ashamed of him or being with him. But used to such things being private.” Her mouth tilted humorously, “Cap’n Daddy’s favorite phrase after ‘It never goes smooth’; always saying ‘I can’t know that’, when Kaylee would talk about personal things.”

“Bit of a prude?” Lizzie asked, obligingly heeding the change in subject.

“Private man,” River shrugged. “Raised on Shadow, fought for the Independents. Lost a great deal and doesn’t like to speak much on it. Doesn’t speak much to feelings at all. Demonstrates with actions.”

“Sounds like an’ interestin’ fella,” Jacob commented in between mouthfuls.

River nodded, “Sailing on Serenity is not for the faint of heart.”

* * *

“It never goes smooth,” River muttered Mal’s immortal words as Ty and Lizzie hauled Riddick back to the loaded mule. Thank Book’s God the two gunhands were tall and strong, between them they could at least move their Captain. “ _Nǐ tā mā de tiān xià suǒ yǒu de rén dōu gāi sǐ_. Why don’t it ever go smooth?” She whirled, firing five shots in four different directions and took three steps backwards.

They’d gotten the goods they were supposed to be smuggling. Trouble reared its ugly head due to the little fact that their contact had acquired them from a rival. Which he’d conveniently forgotten to mention. A rival who wanted his goods back and wasn’t overly choosey as to how. Riddick had the misfortune of being front and center when the shooting started. He’d taken two bullets that she counted and possibly a third. The wounds were bleeding sluggishly so the bullets were still in him. If they hadn’t been of such large caliber (and hadn’t hit him in the chest almost dead center with the second shot) he’d likely still be conscious and shooting back. If Riddick wasn’t so huge he’d have been blown in half.

“Get him onto the mule and go!” She ordered the two crew members, “I’ll be right behind you.” She shot another three times and twisted to avoid getting shot before firing another three times. She had one more loaded Ladysmith and then she’d have to reload all three of her side arms. A barrage of shots began as the mule started to pull away. Two more of the gang showed themselves and she put them down. Three bullets.

Time to switch to what Riddick called her ground game, hand to hand combat. She had approximately six minutes before the mule would be too far away for her to catch up. The winding streets would keep them at a slower pace but once they hit the main thoroughfare if she hadn’t caught up with them she’d have to run all the way back to the _Liberty_. Not exactly inconspicuous.

There were four men remaining, one was wounded, Lizzie had gotten a shot off and the man’s leg would never be the same. The rest of the force was either dead or incapacitated. Lizzie had taken on the job of covering fire while River sussed out where the enemy was and Ty got Riddick behind the three of them. Then it had been River’s job to cover them while they got Riddick onto the mule and away. She hadn’t been feeling particularly merciful. Nor was she now.

For a Reader it was easy as lyin’ to sneak up on someone. A Reader who practiced with Riddick daily had less trouble than that. Four minutes later all four of the remaining men were dead and she was sheathing her blades and running after the mule, mentally castigating herself for not catching the snag in the job before it all went to hell and her man got shot.

She caught up with them two streets before the main road and jumped from the street to the wall of a building and onto the mule’s roof before swinging inside. “Drive as fast as you can and when you hit the main road don’t stop until you’re inside _Liberty_.” She leaned forward and grabbed the comm link, “Jacob, you better be on the stick.”

“Right here boss lady whaddaya need?” Jacob’s voice came back right away thankfully.

“Be ready to get us in the air the minute the bay doors close,” River instructed. “Start warming up the engines.”

“Disconnecting from port supply lines now,” Jacob knew his business, which was good because she’d be too busy stitching Riddick up to help him fly.

“We’ll be there in less than a quarter hour,” She replied tersely and disconnected. “Ty when we get to _Liberty_ you get on up to the bridge and help Jacob once we’ve gotten Rick into the infirmary.”

“Yes ma’am,” Ty nodded from where he was tightening the pressure bandages over Riddick’s wounds.

* * *

 _Liberty_ took off like the hounds of hell were chasing her, jarring everything as she hit the upper atmosphere at a very difficult angle. River was too busy to pay attention to the poor ship’s shaking as she cut Riddick’s shirt off his body. Thankfully Ty and Jacob were equal to the task of hurling the boat into the Black.

One of the bullets had come dangerously close to his heart and the other had nicked the top of his lung. River took a deep breath and pushed everything else out of her mind except what she’d learned from Simon. He’d never realized that while she might have hated the stark white light of the infirmary and all the equipment reminding her of the Academy, she hadn’t let that prevent her from learning. Medical texts and lectures were available on the cortex, as were equipment specifications and users’ manuals.

She didn’t have Simon’s dedication or talent. She wasn’t a gifted surgeon the way he was. But she had one advantage he didn’t. A perfect memory. And the ability to Read him every time he had to work. It was possible she knew more about emergency surgery than some second-year residents in Core hospitals.

The way to deal with a lung with a sudden extra hole to take in air was to seal the hole shut momentarily and keep a good eye on it. “We’ll have to keep an eye on him, watch for labored breathing, his chest swelling more on one side than the other, the veins in his neck bulging and blue lips or fingertips. We don’t want a tension pneumothorax,” Easier to explain when her hands were busy using the plastic chest seal to close the wound. A glance at Lizzie told her the phrase had gone over the woman’s head. “Means the air builds up in his chest, but not in the lungs, too much and it can crush the heart. You see that happening pull the seal back partway.”

It was harder for her to push her emotions aside, her fear and worry for Riddick, but it could be done. Just as she’d had to push aside her worry and fear for Simon when he’d been shot on Mr. Universe’s moon. If she concentrated hard enough on the task at hand it had the same effect as using her amygdale. Adrenaline and focus would keep her going until the crisis passed. It took everything she had, but it could be done. She’d be exhausted afterwards, likely have a migraine the size of White Sun and, chances were, she’d pass out. But for Riddick, she could do it. She had no choice really.

“Shit,” Lizzie’s voice was shaken. “River, I’m a fair medic but I don’t know if I’m good enough to—”

“You aren’t,” River cut through her words. “But it’ll be all right. I can do it. You assist. Afterwards…I’ll likely collapse. It’s going to take everything I’ve got to get this done.” She concentrated on working with Lizzie and getting Riddick prepped for surgery, stripping his boots and pants off ruthlessly and covering him with the surgical blankets. “Jacob’s course should be set for Three Hills. Then Lilac after. We can take it slow and easy; we’re not expected for two weeks.” She began to wipe Riddick down with antiseptic, cleansing him as much as she could. “There’s a fuel station four days away. We can top off the tanks there and that’ll get us to Three Hills and on to Lilac.”

“I’ll tell ‘em,” Lizzie was nodding. “How d’ya know to do all this?” Her expression gave wide eyed new definition as she watched River, with seeming expertise, prep her lover for surgery.

“My brother is a surgeon,” River explained briskly. “He’s gifted. But he’s not as smart as I am.” She shrugged as she laid out the instruments she’d need, “Simon is…brilliant, a brilliant doctor. I’m just a genius with a perfect memory. I can learn everything, remember it, and that gets us by when we don’t have a brilliant surgeon around. With Simon, it’s almost instinct, just knowing what to do. He’s gifted. All I do is imitate. But it’s a decent imitation and it keeps us going.”

“Why couldn’t we have waved him then? If they were still on planet?” Lizzie was wiping down everything with cleanser, including the table Riddick was lying on as she spoke.

“They weren’t on planet anymore,” River shook her head. “Make sure we’ve got plenty of packing and get out the liquid stitches. I think we’ll need them.” She sent a prayer up to the God that Riddick believed in and hated and to Buddha for good measure. “Serenity left four hours before I woke up.”

“Can we wave them?” Lizzie was fetching the packing, liquid stitches, wound sealant, cleanser and skin bandages along with the needle River recognized as being full of adrenaline. The ability to multitask; _tiān shā de_ near invaluable in a medic.

“Time delay is too great. We can wave after, explaining what happened, what we’ve done, but Simon won’t be able to wave back in time to help,” She explained as she picked up a scalpel and made sure that Riddick was out cold before she began to carefully widen the opening in his skin. She’d been right to be concerned. The bullet had lodged disturbingly close to his aorta. The huge artery had been nicked but the bullet was actually keeping the blood from spurting everywhere.

“We’ll need to have the liquid stitches ready,” River used the forceps to grab hold of the bullet, locking the instrument around it. “I can’t remove the bullet right away. It’s nicked the aorta.” The liquid stitches came with a needle point applicator to paint the stitch across the affected area. “Angle the light with the magnifier over my hands please…” She held very still so as not to move the bullet and nodded when the light was in position. The trick would be to add the liquid stitches just before the edge of the bullet as it moved each time.

Millimeter by millimeter she edged the bullet away from the aorta, adding the stitches liberally each time and shuddered when blood began to pulse from the artery in spite of her painstaking care. “ _Wèi le tā mā de yuán gù_ … Nicked it… Grab a patch… left drawer directly behind you. Bright red case.”

Using the forceps to press the aorta against his spine slowed the blood but held too long it could paralyze him. She had at the very most twenty minutes and mentally began to count as Lizzie got the patch and began to open the package. “We need a good-sized piece, cut at least four inches square. We’ll wrap it around the aorta, it’ll augment the liquid stitches.”

With ten minutes left to go the patch was ready and she began the painstaking process of wrapping it around the aorta without moving the artery overmuch. The last she wanted was to tear it further.

Finally, it was sealed and she could begin to slowly stitch and close the wound. The lung came next, almost as tricky, though at least with less danger of him bleeding out, but she managed. Removing the bullet buried in his thigh became extremely awkward due to positioning. Buried in the back of his lower thigh, it could have been worse but that didn’t make it better. Riddick had taken the bullet while Ty had been hauling him back to the mule. Judging by the angle of entry he’d gotten caught by a ricochet projectile. In order to remove it Lizzie had grab her brother and with him, hold Riddick’s leg up so they didn’t have to turn him on his side and aggravate the wounds on his chest.

Salve, skin bandages, more salve and sealant and mundane bandages over the lot and she dropped the bloody instruments in their tray. Everything flooded back now, worry, pain, anger, fear and desperate need to help. A tsunami of emotions, hers, the crew’s… crashing over her with a mental sound of thunder, the roar of the ocean flooding through a narrow channel. With a low moan she backed away from the infirmary table and collapsed against the counters, sinking to the floor and beyond grateful for the soothing darkness that took over her vision and gave her glorious release from the sudden pain.

* * *

“I swear to God, if you three don’t get the fuck out of my way and let me see to her, each and every one of you is going to fuckin’ bleed,” The angry snarl reached her through dreams, and she mumbled his name.

She wrinkled her nose as she slowly began to wake, antiseptic, astringent cleanser and antibiotic salve, still in the infirmary. River groaned, trying to sit up, warm hands wrapped around her shoulders and strong arms surrounded her, tucking her against his side. “Head hurts,” She mumbled. “ _Tián tián de xié'è tā mā de zài zhè lǐ fāsh ēng le shén me_?”

“Yeah,” His voice was a soothing rumble in his chest. “I know. We’ll deal with it later. You rest now.”

* * *

The next time she woke River had nearly been overcome completely with panic as she realized Riddick had been up and walking around and it couldn’t have been more than a day after surgery. Jolting out of sleep she was just as abruptly pulled back down by his strong arms, “Go back to sleep.” He muttered. One palm rubbed up and down her spine. “’M fine.”

River frowned looking up at him and evaluating his wounds. The skin bandages seemed to be taking well, she could already see signs of the skin overtaking the bandage and blending with it. Without a dermal mender there was nothing more to really be done but keep him resting and bandaged.

Silver eyes opened narrowly, “I’m Furyan, remember?” His voice was low and tired. “I heal pretty damn quick.” Unspoken, and easily heard while touching like this, his thoughts were of prior wounds without any care after. No one had panicked or worried over him in a long, long time. Maybe not ever. A new sensation and not unwelcome but strange, strange and sweet.

“Bullet nicked his aorta,” She touched his chest below the wound. “Could have bled out in seconds if I made a mistake.” Ever since she’d taken the cryo cuff off of him Riddick always seemed larger than life, unstoppable, invulnerable. To see him on the ground, blood seeping from his chest in disturbingly regular pulses, she couldn’t explain what it had done to her. To find him, be with him, have him claim her and the next day he’d very nearly died.

“Yeah,” He shrugged. “But you were there, and you didn’t make a mistake.”

“What if I had?” River couldn’t put the thought out of her mind so easily. “I could have screwed up, nearly did.”

“But you didn’t. We got enough fucking trouble, we don’t need borrow any goddamn more,” Riddick clearly was not worried and didn’t see why she should be. Setting that aside for the moment she moved on to other concerns.

He’d positioned her so she was resting against his side, the one without the hole in his lung. His thigh was her other concern and she touched his knee carefully, “And your leg? How does it feel?”

“Almost healed up,” He didn’t shrug but it was in his voice if not his movements. “Time we get to Three Hills I’ll be walking around like nothing happened. Just a little more tired than usual. Not even that with Bella cooking, protein heavy meals’ll get me up to fighting trim.”

“Scared me,” River told him bluntly, pushing herself up so she could kiss him firmly on the mouth. “Scared everyone. Don’t do it again.” She put her hand on the palmprint that remained pristine despite the wound. “Body armor. Promise me.”

His eyes were tarnished silver, dark as storm clouds, as his nostrils flared and she could feel he knew the truth of her words, that she’d been terrified for him, desperate to keep him alive, how she would have done anything, made any deal with the devil, to keep him with her. His own emotions answered hers, grim and possessive as he considered how small she was, that a bullet to her heart like the one to his would have killed her instantly. The rage and despair filling him rushed towards her, tears welling in her eyes. “Body armor,” He agreed, reining his emotions in. “For both of us, better than what you usually wear. A Callahan over and under’ll rip through that stuff. You were scared for me. Don’t make me scared for you like that.”

River nodded, “Money set aside, enough for us and some left over for dry spells.” And that number didn’t include the emergency stash of platinum they’d taken off the derelict. Riddick was adamant they shouldn’t dip into that unless they truly had to.

That pleased him and he nodded even as another thought occurred to him, “How long until you and I can make good on our plans for after the job?” If he hadn’t come so close to death it would have been funny how eager he was to get her back into bed. As if she’d somehow change her mind.

“When his skin grows over the skin bandages he will be fully recovered in her eyes.” She carefully inspected the wounds again. “Please rest, at least two days more, before he leaves the bed?” The idea of him up and around, moving as if nothing was wrong and something inside him tearing those fragile stitches so close to his heart…

His reluctance was obvious, but he nodded finally. She must look worse than she thought for him to capitulate so quickly. “Want you to rest as much as you can too, gonna be running this crew until I’m up and about.”

River nodded. “She will,” And smiled shyly. “Perhaps as a reward, he would like her to move her things into his bunk?”

“Yeah,” His eyes practically glowed with pleasure and he’d reiterated with some of the Chinese he’d picked up from her. “ _Tā mā de shì de_.”

“Then she will do,” She kissed him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So a few ups and downs. Everything has consequences. And Riddick is so used to getting shot, stabbed or otherwise injured he just rolls with it. I doubt he ever thought about how it would affect someone who cared about him. Mostly because no one who has ever lived very long. And now he’s thinking about what could have happened to her. Worry is something new for him.
> 
> The crew overhearing Riddick and River in their bunk and subsequent reactions should be attributed to Malkavian_Logic who left such great writing and convincing arguments in his comment that I had to add that in.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> shuāngrǔ (breasts)
> 
> rǔ tóu (nipples)
> 
> gāng (anus)
> 
> yīn dì (clitoris)
> 
> yīn xué (pussy/underground cave / vagina / female genitalia)
> 
> diǎo (cock)
> 
> jī ba (dick / penis)
> 
> pì gu (butt)
> 
> Nǐ tā mā de tiān xià suǒ yǒu de rén dōu gāi sǐ. (Fuck everyone in the universe to death.)
> 
> tiān shā de (Goddam! / goddamn / wretched)
> 
> Wèi le tā mā de yuán gù (For fuck’s sake)
> 
> Tián tián de xié'è tā mā de zài zhè lǐ fāsh ēng le shén me? (what in the sweet unholy fuck is going on here)
> 
> Tā mā de shì de (fuck yes)


	10. Nine

Riddick was as good as his word. By the time they reached Three Hills he moved as if he’d never even been shot. His recovery put the crew in something of a confused state, worriedly trying to help him, fetching and carrying as if he was still an invalid. Finally, he’d growled his irritation with one of the curses he favored, “ _Tián mì de xié 'è tā mā de_. The next person who tries to feed me broth, do my work for me or suggests I get some rest is gonna go out the airlock.”

As he was strapping his gun belts on and getting ready for the job the threat had more of an effect than usual, though the ship being dirtside did take some of the danger out of being shoved out the airlock. River shook her head and checked her guns, “Never met a Furyan before.” She reminded him mildly. “I know what you’re capable of and I still worry.”

“Yeah, well they’ll have to get used to it or I’ll go bughouse crazy real quick,” Riddick snarled, “Jacob, you’re on the bridge. Bella, you an’ Ruby start making lists of what we need to resupply with. We’ve got five days on Lilac after this run and we’ll do some hunting to supplement the protein.” That got a couple of nods and the two of them headed up to the galley.

Lizzie and Ty were studiously prepping for the job, the cargo loaded onto the mule and when they all climbed in Riddick wrinkled his nose. “Geh, smells like old blood. If I forget, someone remind me to order new foam for the seat cushions back there.”

“Noted,” River nodded climbing into the backseat behind him where his big frame would serve as a windbreak for her smaller one.

“Well, let’s go get paid.” Riddick put the mule in gear after Ty climbed in.

River considered as they drove that despite Riddick’s threats none of the crew seemed afraid of him following through on them. Something to consider more closely later. When they weren’t about to go to work.

* * *

River was checking off the list Bella and Ruby had made against her own count and verifying they had enough coin to resupply properly when she felt Riddick behind her. Big hands settled on her hips and his warm mouth nipped at her throat just over her mark. “You about done with that woman?” She loved that coffee and whiskey voice against her skin.

“Hmm… just finishing up.” She nodded, “Why? He has another chore for her?” Shivers chased over her skin at the feel of his mouth.

“Yeah, you could say that,” His palm pressed against her stomach and down to the apex of her thighs teasingly.

This close it was easy to Read what he wanted, what he’d been waiting for since before the job that had gone so spectacularly wrong. His mind was filled with images of him taking her, positioning her on her hands and knees and mounting her from behind. “Oohh…” River leaned back into his hands, his chest against her spine, shivering. “She is done here.”

“Good.” Riddick’s mouth came down on hers, hard and possessive, his hands pulling her close. “Our bunk, right now.” He gave her _pì gu_ a squeeze and she shuddered, already aching for him.

“Yes,” She nearly swayed, dizzy with the blood rushing through her and moved before him, vividly conscious of him stalking behind her as she climbed down to the bunk. He called it theirs though she hadn’t gotten to move any of her things yet. Worry for him, running the boat and then prepping for the job had taken precedence.

The soft thump of him ignoring the ladder and dropping into the bunk reminded her of his impatience and she sat to take off her boots while he locked the doors behind him and began to strip off his clothing. The sight of him was quite literally breathtaking, fully aroused, huge and muscular, eyes glowing silver as he stared at her. “Those clothes aren’t gonna last long unless you get them off,” Riddick reminded her.

Her boots off she began to remove her clothing, hands trembling until he moved towards her and began to strip her impatiently, her clothing tossed over a chair, panties sliced through with a knife until they fell from her body while she unhooked her bra and threw it towards her clothes. His knife (he called them shivs) was set on the shelf over the headboard and River backed up until she was almost falling onto the mattress. “Riddick,” She reached for him, still tentative, and he took her hands, flattening them against his chest and dipped his head down to kiss her, gently this time, sipping at her lips.

“Mine,” His growl was implacable as he lifted her, held her to his body and kissed her more hungrily.

“Yes,” She moaned softly. “And he is mine.”

She felt his smile against her mouth, big hands holding her close as he turned and sat down on the bed, his hands squeezing her _pì gu_ , one of them teasing her again, rubbing her as if he would stretch her, preparing her to take his _diǎo_ back there again. Relaxing against him and welcoming his hands drew an appreciative growl from his throat and Riddick reached over towards a drawer.

If she hadn’t been a Reader she’d have had no idea what he was doing, his mouth had found her breasts, sucking the tips until all she could do was writhe against him. As it was she barely noticed the slickness of oil on her skin or his fingers penetrating her except as one more pleasure on top of pleasure.

The rounded thickness of something almost as firm as his _diǎo_ pressing against her made her gasp in surprise and moan as it began to penetrate her _gāng_ , pushing slowly into her, stretching her with hot stinging bliss until she was almost unbearably full. “Unghh…unghh.. Riddick…” She panted with the wonderful ache of it as whatever it was pushed farther inside, gasping as it stopped, and silver eyes looked up from her _shuāngrǔ_.

“Took that so good my River,” Riddick praised as he gave her _pì gu_ a squeeze before giving it a sharp little swat. The sting of it, tightening her entire body, sent a shudder rolling through her. “It’s one of your toys… it’ll move inside you if you want it…” He sucked one breast into his mouth again, worrying the nipple with his tongue and teeth carefully. “Gonna get you ready for me… fuck you like the animal I am, fill you good…”

River moaned as he swatted her again, always squeezing and caressing before spanking her, until she was aching and wound tight and he hadn’t even touched her _yīn dì_. “Riddick…” She spread her thighs wider, aching for him and tried to slip her fingers between their bodies for some satisfaction.

“Hmm… you look so pretty playing with yourself,” Riddick crooned as he looked down to see her fingers rub her _yīn dì_ frantically. “Make you a deal my River. You can wait, let me play with you, wait for me to use my mouth on you, eat that sweet pussy. Or you can play with your clit now and come right away.” He licked the mark he’d put on her skin and one hand palmed her breast, squeezing, wonderfully rough and tender both, while the other smacked her _pì gu_ again. “Can’t have both though.”

Reluctantly she stopped rubbing her _yīn dì_ , offering him her fingers, “Chooses his mouth, please…”

He sucked her fingers into his mouth, laving them with his tongue to get every bit of her taste, “That’s my woman.” Riddick growled with a satisfied smile. He moved her, positioning her so she was on her hands and knees and slid underneath her body, his mouth right under her _yīn xué_. “Now use those dancer’s muscles and ride my face baby. Hold yourself right over my mouth so I can give you what you want.”

It was maddening, bliss and agony at once, as she did as he commanded. The position served to keep her wound tight, unable to do anything but hold herself still for him to use his mouth, muscles taut as her tension built and built. When she did come, a tiny flutter that simply teased with what he could give her, the softest flick of his tongue over her _yīn dì_ and she wanted to beg for him. “Riddick…unghh… please…”

He swatted her _pì gu_ again and she moaned as he moved away, sliding out from under her and lifting her easily to stand on the bed in front of him. “There’s a ring in the I-beam over the bed,” Riddick told her with a smile, his hands on her hips. “Want you to take hold of that, help you keep your balance.”

Once she might have scoffed at the idea that she couldn’t stay upright but that was before Riddick had unleased the full wickedly sensual torture of his fantasies upon her. She grasped the O-ring with both hands.

Riddick smiled as he looked at her, flushed and aching, slick and ready for whatever he might want and slid his hands over her hips and up to her breasts, palming them and squeezing before licking from her _yīn dì_ up to her cleavage and fixing that hot mouth to her _rǔtóu_. One hand reached behind her and gave the toy filling her _pì gu_ a tap.

The sensation of movement where before she’d simply felt full was indescribable, even for her genius brain. A gasped plea for she knew not what only resulted in him doing the same thing again, and again, before he located the hidden switch and turned it on. The low vibration and rotating thrust made her cry out, hips twitching as he sucked on her tits. “Unghh… merciful Buddha… Riddick…please!”

He inhaled, a satisfied smile curving his lips and kissed her hungrily, “Yeah. That’s my woman. My gorgeous River.” His fingers slid between her thighs and rubbed her _yīn dì_ teasingly, enough to tantalize but not enough for her to come. “Gonna fuck you now River, aching to push my prick in your sweet tight slit.”

“Yes, please,” She moaned as he helped her get on all fours again, kneeling behind her on the bed, his _diǎo_ rubbing at her entrance. “Riddick…”

“Yeah, my River,” His voice was deeply satisfied as he rubbed the head of his _jī ba_ against her, hands on her hips to hold her in place and began to push forward.

She’d thought he’d given her pleasure last time, maybe two weeks had dulled her memory (doubtful), maybe he’d been holding back (again, not likely), or perhaps the ecstasy rolling through her was the result of all his teasing and preparation and two weeks of celibacy. She couldn’t catalog the sensations fast enough, her body taking his in, stretching around him again, aching with pleasure he filled her so tightly. “Riddick!” The orgasm that swept over her was violent and seemed unending, soaking his balls as he kept pushing deep into her.

“Unghh…fuck… River…” She felt the moment he lost control, as her body clutched at his, squeezing him in wet silken walls and pulling him deeper, pushing against the opening of her womb. “Yeah,” His raw growl of a voice sent her skin prickling with need.

His body dropped over hers, hands braced beside her as the animal took over, his hips pummeling her backside as his _diǎo_ slammed home again and again, so deep she could feel it in her belly every time he hit the end of her. She couldn’t think, could barely breathe, gasping to pull in oxygen between the waves of bliss washing over her with every movement. His name was the only thing she could say, an animalistic moan as she surrendered to him completely.

Something was coming, like Mount Vesuvius, this was only the beginning. He swelled inside her, pushing and pushing, so hard and thick, until she thought she’d split in two at the size of him, rubbing against every sensitive place. Until he shuddered, hot and feral, his body pressing into hers even more. She could feel his balls, drawn up, full and ready, his breath hot on her neck, growls against her skin and all she could do was moan her assent, her willingness, “Yours…unghh…please… Riddick… yours…”

His growl of pleasure burst into a roar as he jerked his hips and she gasped, hot, burning, like fire scorching her with pleasure from the inside out as he seemed to lock inside her body, pushing into her womb, emptying his balls into her as she screamed out her ecstasy. Teeth clamped down on her neck, holding her in place, blood on her skin, his body fixed inside her, his teeth marking her as his.

Bliss exploded inside her again and she screamed his name once more before darkness came for her.

* * *

This time when she woke she was being cradled carefully close to his body, tucked under the quilts and a huge hand petting her hair. “Hmm…” She sighed happily and pressed a kiss to the warm skin under her cheek. “Mated her.”

That shocked him into stillness, and she looked up to see burning mercury eyes staring down at her, “Yeah?” His voice was defensive and cautious both and she leaned up to press a kiss to his lips.

“Likes it.” She told him simply. “Could feel you, the animal, taking over, having me. It effects your body, how you fall, locked inside me, could not withdraw if you wished. The animal would not stop until you claimed me.”

“Wasn’t really thinking I wanted to,” Riddick admitted some of the tension leaving his body.

“Couldn’t,” River corrected him gently and petted his face. “Dominated her thoroughly, filled her womb, took his mate as he should.” She smiled and tugged him down for a kiss. “Should not be alarmed. Told you. She likes it. Meets something inside me, cannot be tamed. Cannot be caged. Don’t know what it is, drove me to look for more, all my life.”

“Should’ve known there’d be something different with us the minute I figured out it was you I’d been dreaming of for years.” His voice was a dryly rueful rumble under her cheek, “You get one of your feelings, just tell me. We’ll make it work. But I won’t be able to let you leave River.”

“She is his,” River nodded her agreement. “Wouldn’t want to leave. He is hers. Matched together. Soul bound, mated… different descriptors but the meaning is all of a piece. Belong together.”

“Yeah, I won’t argue with that,” He kissed her, gently this time, tumbling her onto her back and proceeded to prove he didn’t always want hot and fast and rough. Slow and tortuously gentle, he roused her again, slipping inside her with a low groan and rolling his hips to hers until waves of pleasure were echoing between them and she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began.

That same heat swelling inside her, his body joined with hers, filling her so deeply, nearly made her eyes roll back in her head with the power of it. His mouth drank in her moans and cries, groaning against her lips as they finished together again.

* * *

Waking to Riddick’s arms around her… nearly as wonderful as the feel of his body having hers. River shifted her head slightly to press a kiss to one huge bicep and smiled as his hand tightened on her hip. “My woman,” He smiled down at her.

“Time’s it?” She couldn’t quite see the chrono over her shoulder.

“Near two in the morning,” He nuzzled her. “Feel all right?”

“Hmm…” River sighed with pleasure at the feel of that strong sensual mouth on her neck. “Feel soo good…my Riddick.” The flash of pleasure he felt upon hearing her claim him, use his name, a lightning strike of joy. Those big hands, on her skin, parting her thighs to tease and play with her until she couldn’t help moaning his name. His _diǎo_ slowly pushing inside her, deliberately cautious and measured, so controlled even as she gasped and contracted in climax around him.

Something… teasing her brain… Riddick tilted his head as if listening and chuckled low in his throat. “Bella and Liz,” He muttered and she realized that their desire had been woken by hers and Riddick’s. And theirs if she didn’t shut them out would feed hers… and his to judge from his lascivious expression.

For all that the women were trying to be quiet, Ty’s bunk between theirs and the Captain’s quarters, their caution was no match for a Reader or a Furyan’s ears. River couldn’t help giggling, her body shifting under his, recapturing (not that it had ever truly wandered) his attention. His hips rotated against hers slowly until she keened his name and he growled his pleasure against her mouth.

* * *

River leaned against the counter while the coffee brewed and watched the crew file into the kitchen one by one. She and Riddick had woken up earlier to spar, and ‘christen’ their spot on the stairs while the crew slept. She’d never be able to sit on that step again without thinking of how he’d had her there. A slight shiver of memory drew a smug half smile to Riddick’s mouth as she moved to fill up his mug and hers with coffee.

Ruby wandered in last and immediately turned pink at the sight of them. Ty couldn’t look at his sister and seemed almost afraid to look at River, like Riddick might kill him if he had a lustful thought. Jacob couldn’t meet River’s eyes, determinedly staring at his mug with a muttered thanks as she filled it with coffee.

An arched eyebrow at Riddick as he regarded their crew and he nodded. Both the men looked to be several hours short of sleep. Ruby’s now bright red face spoke clearly of her embarrassment and now Bella and Lizzie were also blushing faintly.

Riddick lifted his mug to his lips as she sat down, “So… we’ll get some soundproofing put in when next we hit dirt.”

The wave of relief from every member of the crew nearly sent River into giggles.

* * *

The Feeling that guided her to Beylix was vague but Riddick found work there easily enough and they spent a week happily scrounging for parts while River managed to find the fellow that needed her help and guided him to a ship. He had a sister and brother working on the docks that would crew for him but he was certain to end up with a piece of _lè sè_ if he wasn’t given some good advice.

Her feeling led she and Riddick to a bar where the trio was sitting and drinking morosely. “Tired, feel like they’ll never find a ship they can fix up and sail the Black. Have contacts, the potential for long term contracts but need a ship to get the business going.”

“Well I found _Liberty_ here,” Riddick smiled. “Might be we could offer to help out?”

She appreciated his willingness to go along with her when he wasn’t even the one driven mad by this need to help. She didn’t understand why these particular people, had half wondered if the feelings would stop now that she’d found Riddick, believing that everything she’d heard and felt and followed had led her to him.

When she voiced that he chuckled, “There’s a reason you’re able to talk with me in dreams. A reason we’re connected. I might not have found Furya, but the spirit, Shirah, she’s a force to be reckoned with. Maybe we’ve got a common ancestor, maybe she just chose you because she knew you and I would be right together, but just because she’s got one goal achieved doesn’t mean there aren’t others.” Riddick had kissed her with a grin, “I figure whatever she’s got us doing it’s going to turn out right in the end.”

“Faith, from a man who hates God,” River had smiled at the dichotomy of it.

“Belief,” Riddick shrugged. “God has nothing to do with this. Everything I found about Furya tells me that my people were deeply spiritual but of no particular faith. So, I believe. In you, in me, in whatever purpose Shirah has for us. We’ll figure it out. Long’s we’re together I’m fine with whatever.”

River hadn’t been able to resist kissing him then and that had led to some very satisfying time in their bunk.

She still couldn’t quite figure out how these three served Shirah’s ends but it didn’t really matter, “Pardon me.” She moved towards their booth. “You’re looking for a ship?”

“We are,” Brown eyes, sandy blond hair and a square jaw with a stubborn chin looked her over cautiously. “To buy, not book passage on.”

“Yes,” River nodded. “My… _bàng jiār_ , he found his ship here. Might be able to help.”

“ _Bàng jiār_ ,” The man echoed dubiously. “You’re partners with him?” He nodded towards Riddick’s hulking form behind her.

“Yes,” She smiled over her shoulder at Riddick. “Mated, pair bonded, partners, lovers… bound together,” She elaborated.

“Uh huh,” The younger brother had hazel eyes, but the resemblance was obvious. The sister had hazel eyes as well, though hers tended towards more green than brown, and a more angular jaw, with high wide cheekbones making her face look almost heart shaped.

“There a reason you’d help us out? Out of the blue an’ knowin’ nothin’ ‘bout us?” The oldest asked.

“Got a good feeling about you,” River shrugged. “Not out to fleece you. And not interested in rolling you or putting you in manacles.” She slid a glance at the sister, “Name of the shipyard where my _bàng jiār_ found _Liberty_ is Romanova’s. West side of the city.” She tilted her head, “Three of you could probably handle a Knorr. Good ships. Carry cargo and passengers.”

She was given a wary nod and judged it time to retreat, returning with Riddick to the booth they’d taken at the back of the bar, where they could see all the entrances and exits. “So?” Riddick asked as he tugged her close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Think they’ll go for it?”

“Romanova’s is not well known,” She nodded. “For the discerning buyer. Not flash in the pan types. He will ask around, find that the yard has a good reputation. They will go and find their Knorr.”

“That’s all?” Riddick grinned at her. “You don’t need to do anything else?”

“Not every job is a hostage/kidnapping situation,” She grinned back wryly. “Sometimes all that’s required is a nudge in the right direction.”

* * *

Work came steady, and the coin didn’t go out faster than it came in, mostly thanks to Riddick’s careful was planning, augmented by River’s Reading and ability to predict problems.

There was still the matter of the crew knowing exactly who their Captain was and though he never let them see it, he carried a lot of tension with him over the matter. River Read them constantly and after one of Jacob’s stints on the bridge and subsequent shore leave for the crew a few days after was able to at least resolve one concern.

“Not going to go tattling to mercs,” River murmured as she sat on the steps beside him, watching Jacob and Lizzie spar. “Used his time on the bridge wisely. Searched the cortex for the Big Evil. Found his records expunged. The truth of his ‘conviction’ revealed. Sees you with me, with all of them, knows if you were truly the terrible man you were painted, they would all be dead, simply for being aware of your identity. They are not, so you must not be. Mercs after you are doing so unlawfully.”

“Makes a certain amount of sense,” Riddick nodded, his voice just as low. Furyan ears heard her voice just fine even in such a quiet tone that the crew wouldn’t overhear. “Still smell concerned.”

“Knowing who you are… makes them wonder,” She looked at him. “About her.”

“Shit,” His succinct reply in no way indicated his level of understanding. Knowing who he was, Big Evil, what could she be that she kept up with him. She sparred with him, openly his equal in all things. Who was this woman who had gotten her hooks into Riddick of all men. They’d told the crew she’d had mercs, Feds and an Operative after her at one point. Blue Sun would still like to ‘re-acquire’ her if possible.

“Hmm… bears watching,” She agreed. “Perhaps add some programming to the outgoing cortex firewalls. Searches containing her name will return nothing?”

“Do it,” Riddick stood. “Mercs might be after me but they’re small potatoes. Blue Sun’s got enough power…for all we stay prepared, we might still get caught off guard.”

River nodded and headed up to the bridge. Some judicious programming and no one would be able to inquire anything to do with her on the outer cortex.

Sailing the Black wasn’t for the faint hearted, but neither was living with a Reader. Somehow Riddick managed to make both seem easy, not that he didn’t take precautions. The man gave preparation and paranoia new scope.

Still she wasn’t prepared for the sight of the ship that greeted them from the wide expanse of Black near Blue Sun. “ _Wǒ de mā_ ,” She muttered as she stared at the ship. “What is that?”

“That’s a problem is what it is,” Riddick frowned. “It’s a merc ship, but it’s worse than a regular clan boat. It’s a plantation operation. Hundreds of mercs in cryo, waiting to hunt for her. This woman keeps her bounties and puts ‘em into cryo so they’re aware but can’t move.”

“ _Kublai Khan_ ,” She murmured. “She looks almost adrift.”

“Jack killed the woman who ran it,” Riddick recalled and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Her second might have kept on running the operation. But you’re right, they’re dead in the water.” He looked over at her, “Think you can get a Read on her?”

“She will try.” River reached out with her mind and shuddered violently as she Saw what had happened on the ship. “ _Tā mā de wǒ shī míng liǎo_. Ship sails with most of its crew in cryo,” She noted shakily. “Not wise. Not in this system.”

“Bad things I take it?” Riddick tilted his head and she nodded.

“Very bad. Reavers. They still sail around Miranda, a great many, sending out raiding parties, no purpose other than to spread their madness.” River murmured, “Came upon the _Kublai Khan_ and feasted.”

“Any left alive?” He was looking at the ship grimly, wondering why the Reavers hadn’t claimed it as a trophy.

“The prisoners in the conservatory, Reavers could not access the area,” She listened a bit more, frowning. “Did something to the ship, released everyone from cryo and hunted them. Walls covered in blood, played with everyone until they were dead. And then played more. Hung them as trophies.”

“They leave anyone alive besides the ones in the conservatory?”

“Several alive, but it is a mixed blessing. Mad with what they have seen. Become Reavers.”

He nodded his understanding, “ _Nǐ tā mā de tiān xià suǒ yǒu de rén dōu gāi sǐ_.” His expression tilted grimly. “Reavers aren’t anything to be careless about.”

She withdrew her mind and took a deep breath, “The Reavers will return for the ship, and the new Reavers they created, but first they want to see if they can catch another ship in their trap.”

“Left behind something to snap shut on anyone who thinks to take a look,” Riddick considered the ship. She knew he recalled the derelict _Liberty_ had nearly stumbled across not long after they’d met. Where he’d first met Reavers, the uncontrollable rabid rage of them and the resulting attacks. He remembered the Reaver tendency to leave traps all too well.

This ship was massive and contained several smaller vessels that they might be able to sail out to Beylix and sell. The take would set them up very nicely. And money was never not an issue even for a relatively smooth operation like theirs. River’s Feelings tended to not make them a lot of coin, though so far it hadn’t cost them any either. The ship could be worth the risk.

“Can evade the traps,” River told him. “Just need to disengage the automatic airlocks. The airlocks trigger a tether.”

“Could go over by shuttle, dismantle the trap and then dock,” Riddick mused, and she nodded still examining the ship.

“Can see where the Reavers sent the grappling hooks, clawed into her,” She indicated the areas on the screen. “Doubt they breached the hull, hard to rape and maim and kill in zero gravity and vacuum.”

“Yeah, can’t see anything indicates they tore through the inner hull,” He agreed. “I’ll go over in a suit just in case.”

“Will let the crew know what’s going on,” River nodded. “Best for us to exercise caution.”

“Reminds me we ought to see about training Bella and Ruby to use a gun enough that they can defend themselves.” Riddick began to set the ship at rest as he spoke. “Figure we can tether the boats in the docking bay to each other and then to _Liberty_ , tow them behind us until we get close to Beylix, then fly them down to the surface for sale.”

She considered, “If they can’t be tethered might be able to program them with an autopilot to fly them remotely. Or Ty, Jacob and I could fly them.”

“Could work, there’s a shuttle that should be small enough to fit in the bay if we move some cargo around,” He nodded and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

River followed him off the bridge. They’d need to prepare the crew for the horrors that awaited on a Reaver struck boat. Near impossible to believe until seen, once seen…such terrors could not be forgotten. She’d found it very telling that Malcolm Reynolds, who’d seen every atrocity in war man could commit against one another, had been more rattled by that bloody chandelier of the derelict pioneer craft and its significance than any memory of the war. It hadn’t been the first time he’d come up against Reavers, he knew too much about them, could predict their habits. He’d never talked about it and she’d never asked, but then, Mal knew she didn’t need to. Of the two of them, she probably knew Reavers better than he did.

* * *

“Killer of Men,” River regarded the man frozen in cryostasis thoughtfully. No name, other than ‘Furya’, and no indication of his crimes. Opening her mind to his, albeit cautiously, proved to be very unlike touching Riddick’s mind. The man felt nothing like Riddick, undisciplined, raw savage rage simply filled him, harnessed to no purpose at all.

It could be the result of cryo, given that he was aware but held frozen, his rage could be understandable. But there was no way she was going to release him until she had Riddick beside her. From what he’d said and what she’d Read off Riddick, he was pretty much the most powerful male of his race. He’d let drop once that only an Alpha could carry the Wrath. This frozen man bore no tell-tale handprint on his chest and his stature didn’t match Riddick’s either. If she tried to release this unknown Furyan from cryo without Riddick beside her…well, she might actually anger her _bàng jiār_. Curious as she might be, satisfying that curiosity wasn’t worth the worry and anger Riddick would feel if she endangered herself.

The palm print on Riddick’s chest glowed eerily sometimes, when he was ready to kill and forcing his rage back under control. It pulsed like a heartbeat. She’d woken one night to the blue light spilling over her, bathing the room in shimmering color and knew he was dreaming of Furya again. Her _bàng jiār_ didn’t boast much, though he was in no way afflicted with false modesty either. But she had gotten the distinct impression that there were very few people in the ‘verse who had a chance of keeping up with him. She was one of them, which explained why he’d been attracted to her in the first place. (If one could set aside the eerie and odd fact that he’d been dreaming about her since he was old enough to realize girls were interesting in an entirely different way than shivs which was not inconsiderable in itself.)

None of this speculation was getting her any closer to a decision regarding the frozen Furyan before her and she sighed clicking her earwig on. “Rick, you near the observatory?”

“On my way up now,” His voice came back promptly. “Ignoring the blood spatter every gorram where this’ll be a nice score for us. What’ve you got?”

“Bypassed the encrypted locks and managed to get inside. Lots of frozen people, one of them labeled, ‘Furya, Killer of Men’,” River replied. “Reluctant to unfreeze anyone until I’ve gotten their history. Their minds are very…angry.”

“Yeah, that’d follow, considering that bitch had them frozen for years.” Riddick growled, “See what you can dig up on the cortex, I’m on my way _zhì 'ài_.”

She smiled as he clicked off. He was not, and likely would never be, someone who’d make flowery speeches or grand gestures. But Riddick had taken to using that particular endearment with gusto. He’d moved her things into his room, called it their room from that point onwards and made certain to arrange everything so that they truly shared it between them. Books filled the shelves, weapons hung from the walls and ceiling and nothing was ever truly out of reach. Her clothing filled one wall locker he’d added to augment their storage while his took another.

They’d given her old bed to Ruby since she was sleeping in a single and moved the single into her old cabin. Now everyone was fairly comfortable. The books that Riddick and River duplicated between them were placed in the common area for the crew to enjoy if they wished. River had caught Riddick considering the idea of buying some games for the common area, and maybe some for the passenger quarters if they got the urge to carry passengers.

His mind was bright and alert as he neared the Observatory and River turned her attention to the cortex, pulling up the records of the people kept frozen as ‘art’. “ _Wo de ma he ta de feng kuang de wai sheng dou_ ,” She muttered as she read over the summaries of each prisoner.

“Interesting reading?” Riddick entered the room with his soundless stride, moving towards her and running a hand down her spine in wordless reassurance. Touch soothed both of them they’d found, reminded them that they belonged to each other in a way words couldn’t.

“Very.” She nodded, “Killer of men is not an exaggeration. Killed an even dozen before he was captured. The others…some are worse, some better depending upon your definition ‘atrocity’, mostly worse. He only kills. Others enjoy torture beforehand…and even worse brutalities. Make the Reavers seem…warm and fuzzy in comparison. No ulterior motives. But these are… disturbed individuals.” River looked at him, “Can’t know how sane they’ll be when we bring them out of cryo. Better to confine them until the drugs are out of their system completely.”

“There’s cells here we could use,” Riddick was frowning. “But we don’t know how long it’ll take for the drugs to wear off. And I’d rather not be here when the Reavers come back.”

“Problematic,” River agreed as she continued to scan the cortex. “The… Furyan… Numbers recorded here indicate the drugs will wear off twelve hours after the dosage. For others it will take at least thirty-six hours.” She regarded the other objects d’art with concern. “Goes against the grain to keep them imprisoned. But none are to be trusted with the lives of our crew. There’s good reason the crazy lady considered them art. For her type of art anyway.”

Riddick held out a hand for the cortex and rapidly began to read through the records, “Shit.” He shook his head. “Some of them make me look like a cuddly teddy bear.”

“Which he is not,” She nodded. “Multiple convictions, not simply charges laid, though there are plenty of those as well.”

“Says here she bought some of ‘em from the prisons. ‘S where she got the Killer.” Riddick was looking at the collection and shaking his head. “Know what you mean though. Not interested in having them on our boat. Except maybe him, depending on his behavior once he comes out of cryo.”

River rubbed the back of her neck, “Interested in a compromise?”

“Let’s hear it,” He set the cortex down and drew her to his side, rubbing her back and neck.

“Take him to the cells, stop the drugs, see how he is in twelve hours,” River suggested. “The rest… load them into one of the ships, put it on autopilot and send it off, drugs wear off in thirty-six hours. At hour thirty-six, their location broadcasts on merc channels. They work together to run or they kill each other, sitting ducks for the mercs. But they will be far away from us either way.”

“At least one of them’s got some piloting skills,” Riddick considered the idea. “And there’s five ships in the bay. Put them in one and we’d have four, that’s still more than we’d be able to manage anyway as far as piloting goes.”

“Can rig at least one or two to be piloted remotely, mirroring another,” River suggested. “Take two hours of work.”

He nodded, “I think it’s our best bet. Can’t leave them here like candy for the Reavers. We’re damn lucky the ship still had power or the drugs would have already stopped. We’d’ve had a helluva mess.” He looked over the base the Killer was displayed upon and nodded. “Go on and get the first ship, one of the dinkier ones, programed with the auto pilot and message for the mercs. I’ll grab Ty and Jacob, get them moving these others into it. Him,” He indicated the Killer, “I’ll move down to the cells. Start the timer when I get him off this pedestal.”

“ _Lì shí_ ,” River nodded and took off for the docking bay at a run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So attempting to add a bit of the Riddick ‘verse in here. Just to make things more interesting. Have to wait and see how the Killer of Men turns out. But Riddick and River have their personal problems ironed out at least.
> 
> The quip about adding soundproofing and no one being able to look each other in the eye in an embarrassing morning after comes from the outstanding Malkavian_Logic who pointed out the possibilities of a Reader hearing other couples and a married pair hearing River and Riddick in their bunk.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> Tián mì de xié 'è tā mā de (sweet unholy fuck)
> 
> pì gu (butt)
> 
> diǎo (cock)
> 
> gāng (anus)
> 
> shuāngrǔ (breasts)
> 
> yīn dì (clitoris)
> 
> yīn xué (pussy)
> 
> rǔtóu (nipples)
> 
> jī ba (dick / penis)
> 
> lè sè (Garbage, trash)
> 
> bàng jiār (lover / partner)
> 
> Wǒ de mā (My mother! Mama mia! Similar to "Oh my God!" in usage)
> 
> Tā mā de wǒ shī míng liǎo (Fuck me blind)
> 
> Nǐ tā mā de tiān xià suǒ yǒu de rén dōu gāi sǐ. (Fuck everyone in the universe to death)
> 
> zhì 'ài (most beloved)
> 
> Wo de ma he ta de feng kuang de wai sheng dou! (script - holy mother of god and all her wacky nephews)
> 
> Lì shí (right away / quickly / immediately)


	11. Ten

Twelve hours had flown by, the rest of the ‘art’ loaded into a small ship and the supply of drugs disconnected from their bodies just before River sent the ship on its course away from them and the rest of civilization. If the mercs didn’t catch up with them before they reached the Outerzone they were welcome to try and make lives there, assuming they didn’t all kill each other first. Neither she nor Riddick were inclined to do more than that. They wouldn’t leave the prisoners for the Reavers when they returned but they didn’t have to do anything more. They both knew it was far more than any of the prisoners would have done for them.

Riddick and the rest of the crew had loaded everything they could strip off the _Kublai Kahn_ into the _Liberty_ or one of the smaller ships in the bay. They’d have a job sorting through all the salvage to determine what they should keep and what to sell but it wasn’t as if there’d be much else to do in the Black. She’d already done the programing that would allow one of the ships to mirror another, and Jacob had flown it out to sit at _Liberty’s_ side.

She and Ty would handle the other two, putting them on autopilot until they were close to planet fall and then fly them down to sell. They were fairly good-sized ships, maybe the size of an Arrowhead or a bit larger, though not as sleek or utilitarian. They’d bring a good price at the shipyards. For a fee they received an expedited salvage license and were able to claim and sell the ships legally. The fee had been considerable but what they’d make off the salvage was easily four times that. Well worth the investment and then some. Of course it would need renewing annually but the fee would be slightly less. And if they ran into a similar situation they’d already have the license.

Before Riddick had agreed to leave her alone to wait for the Killer to wake up he’d made doubly sure the cell was reinforced and the knockout gas was working if it was needed. His kiss before he’d gone about his business had left her lips swollen and her heart beating double-time. He’d also taken the shirt that covered her marks and left her with one that exposed her neck and the junction of her neck and shoulder, displaying her marks for the Killer to see.

She didn’t know if that would help or not, but she hadn’t argued. Riddick always had a reason for the things he did, even if he didn’t know exactly why at the time. Whenever they landed on a new planet he crouched and picked up a handful of earth, rubbing it in his hand before letting it drift through open fingers. When she’d asked why he’d shrugged and said it just felt right. Since ‘felt right’ guided more than a few of her actions (including the ones that had led her to _Liberty_ and him) she really didn’t see the point in prodding him about it further. Knowledge didn’t arrive simply because they were cognizant enough to ask the questions.

The Killer’s eyes began to move first, slowly and then more quickly from side to side. It was interesting to watch the effects of the cryo drugs fall away, his skin twitching as his muscles woke. He didn’t seem to shake off cryo as quickly as her _bàng jiār_ , it could be because of the strength of the drugs he’d been under, or cryo had more of an effect upon his physiology. His mind wasn’t as quick as Riddick’s, it took him a few minutes after shaking off the drugs for him to realize he was in a cell. The difference between an Alpha and a normal Furyan male, she wondered? The transparent steel that served as the observation window allowed him to see her as much as she could see him, waist high from the position she’d taken.

His fists came down hard on the window and thankfully didn’t make a dent. The roar she was greeted with was purely mental as the cell was also sound proofed. River guessed that Antonia Chillingsworth hadn’t cared to hear complaints or for prisoners to converse with each other. An intercom button served to make herself heard, “There’s a set of trousers and a shirt on the cot near you. Please try to calm down.”

“Out!” His demand was at full volume, mentally and orally. “Fucking kill you bitch; you don’t let me out.”

“I very much doubt that,” She spread her hands. “We have no intentions of keeping you in the cell forever. We just couldn’t be sure of how you’d react to coming out of cryo. Your records don’t say much about your mental stability. Plenty about how violent and intractable you can be though.”

“We?” Dark eyes narrowed as he moved towards the cot, pulling on the clothing before returning to glare through the glass at her.

“My _bàng jiār_ and myself,” She shrugged. “If the label on your pedestal hadn’t said Furya you’d be sent off with the rest of the prisoners from the Observatory.”

She could feel his mind like a dull angry snarl, knotted and twisted about. A _fàng zòng fēng kuáng de jié_ as rage emanated from him, like and unlike Riddick, “And who’re you fuckin’ that he or she’d give two damns about what I am?”

“Richard B. Riddick, Alpha Furyan, Lord Marshall the former, Vanquisher of the Necromongers, Avenger of Furya,” She hadn’t even known what she was going to say until she said it. Absently she wondered if this was Riddick’s Shirah, prompting her speech.

“Alpha…” The word was a mumble as he came closer to the glass to stare at her, narrowing his eyes at the silvery marks on her skin. The bitemarks Riddick had given her were healed and scarred to unmistakable impressions of his teeth and she had the feeling that would have happened even if she’d slapped a skin bandage over them.

“He carries the Wrath,” River added, wondering if it would make a difference.

The man in question appeared in the doorway, his body tense, no doubt having heard the ruckus despite the sound proofing. He’d proven more than once that he could hear things no one else could. Just one more way they were alike really. “Problem?” His inquiry was a low growl that threatened death if the Killer had scared her.

“Just told him who you were,” River indicated the surprisingly quiet prisoner. “Stopped yelling when I said you were Alpha Furyan.”

“Yeah I heard,” His mouth quirked wryly. “Had to throw the rest of that bullshit in there too?”

“Sounds impressive,” She grinned up at him.

“Yeah, so does an elephant fart,” Riddick rolled his eyes, sliding his arm around her waist. The act served two purposes in his mind, showing the other male that his woman was his, and reassuring himself that she was well, even aboard this hell ship, that much was easy for her to Read. He stared at the imprisoned male, “You gonna give us trouble if we let you out? Try to hurt my woman or my crew?”

The Killer was frowning, taking Riddick’s very large form and very dangerous demeanor and River tilted her head curiously. “He relaxes, your presence calms him,” She murmured thoughtfully.

“Why’s that d’you think?” Riddick’s voice was equally quiet as the imprisoned man stared at them.

“A theory only,” River warned him as she looked up at her bàng jiār. “Riddick is Alpha. Said that even hellhounds were tame in his presence.”

“Yeah,” He grinned at the memory. “It’s an animal thing.”

“This Furyan, his animal is not Alpha, alone he struggled to be enough, to prove himself, never feeling safe.” She tried to think of an analogy, “A Beta animal of any breed, forced into an Alpha’s place, can be unnecessarily violent or aggressive in an effort to be what he is not, to compensate for any lack within himself. Like a small dog would bark loudly and constantly, trying to sound bigger.”

“So, with me, an Alpha, his animal can relax now, be himself, know that he’s not going to be put in a position he can’t handle,” Riddick caught on quickly. “That why you killed so many?” He looked at the other Furyan. “Trying to be what you aren’t?”

“What the little woman says…sounds right… don’t know.” The Killer shrugged. “Just never felt safe, never felt right, not unless I was alone, or killed enough people to be left alone. But alone felt wrong too.”

“Pack animals,” River murmured. “I think as long as he’s part of your crew, as long as you’re alpha, and he’s not put in that position again he’d be safe enough. Now that you’re here, there’s no violence in his mind.”

“ _Jī dū zài tā mā de shí zì jià shàng_ ,” Riddick muttered another of the curses he’d picked up. This one from Jacob. “All right.” He raised his voice, meeting the other man’s gaze. “We’re going to let you out. You make a move to hurt anyone on my crew and I’ll gut you. We’ve got two women besides mine and a girl. You touch any of them in a way they don’t like, I’ll gut you.”

“Two men also,” River added. “Sparring is acceptable, fighting is not. Do you understand?”

He nodded, reason itself with Riddick present. “I know how to behave. Mostly. Sort of.”

“If you’re not sure, ask.” Riddick told him flatly. “My woman is second in command. If she tells you to do something it’s the same as me telling you. She knows my mind better than anyone else. You got a problem taking orders from her?”

“No.” The word was plain and unadorned.

“All right.” River began to key in the code for the lock. “Letting you out.”

The door began to slide open and he was immediately at the entrance, inhaling the air almost hungrily, “Alpha Furyan.” He nodded as if confirming what he’d already known. “Alpha female…Furyan.” His head tilted, “Something else.”

“I’m River, Riddick’s woman,” She shrugged.

“Maddox Carnegie,” The Killer of Men introduced himself. “You mind if I try and scrounge around for more clothes to fit?”

“Already looted most of the ship,” River told him. “Should be able to find something for you among what we’ve taken.” She pressed a kiss to Riddick’s jaw. “She will head to the docking bay. Get the little ships following _Liberty_ like ducklings.”

“Any trouble, sing out,” Riddick reminded her.

“Teach his mother to suck eggs,” River rolled her eyes at him teasingly and with a nod at the newly introduced Maddox hurried off.

* * *

Maddox proved to be an interesting addition to their crew. He’d been astounded to be presented with a bunk and his choice of weapons from the armory as well as clothing scrounged from various wrecks that would fit him until he could buy things of his own. The simplest kindness was amazing to him. He hadn’t even understood that he was a true member of the crew until he was given a share of the salvage of the _Kublai Khan_.

That was only a few days after he’d been released from cryo so at least he hadn’t spent months thinking he was only a passenger or worse, someone working just for the price of passage. Though his astonishment was such that he might as well have been.

River shook her head as she watched him spar with Ty and Jacob. He was going to wear the other two men out before he was even half winded. Beta he might be but Maddox was still Furyan. Still, it was an improvement upon his earlier behavior. Maddox was not…socialized, not even as much as Riddick. And Riddick considered himself completely uncivilized, though he was able to pretend for limited periods of time. He had joked with her that he’d been educated by the penal system but he’d at least spent time in foster care and a few schools. Even if they were reform schools some of the time. Maddox hadn’t been free since he was fourteen.

It made sense, if he wasn’t raised among his own kind, and he most assuredly had not been. The instincts awoken with his adolescence would have become overwhelming, giving him needs and reasoning completely at odds with any civilized living situation and without anyway to explain them. From what Maddox had said he hadn’t understood them himself. He would have needed a strong father figure, or some other alpha personality and there hadn’t been anyone to fill that role. Or there had been no one who cared enough even if they were the right personality type. Only opportunists trying to take advantage of the system and the vulnerabilities of the children stuck within it.

“He’s improving,” Riddick commented. Looking towards him River couldn’t help but smile as the huge man moved up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing against her body and nuzzling her neck. He never failed to make her feel loved and wanted and safe.

“Hmm… slowly, yes, he is,” She agreed. “Maybe it’s time to begin insisting he join us for meals?”

“Yeah, one at first, then add in the others,” He considered. As well he might. Maddox still wasn’t comfortable around the crew. He tended to eat the protein packs alone or come out for meals only when everyone else was asleep, or it was only River and Riddick. He was comfortable with them in a way he wasn’t with the rest of the crew.

“Breakfast first I think,” River suggested. “Since we tend to eat on varying shifts he won’t have to deal with everyone at once. Dinner can wait until he’s more used to people. Don’t want to overwhelm him or make him feel cornered. Slow and steady.”

“Yeah,” Riddick had a grin in his voice. His head turned slightly to look down the catwalk and River slanted a glance that way.

Ruby was peeking out from the door to the catwalk from the mid deck. She hadn’t come out to be introduced to Maddox, though he’d been told about her and Ruby told about him. They’d seen each other in passing. At meals she’d stayed in the shadow of Bella or Lizzie or Ty, whenever Maddox had been at the table. Now it looked as if her curiosity was getting the better of her.

“Interesting days ahead,” Riddick chuckled and kissed her neck. “C’mon, he’s gonna wear them out or kill them by accident when they try to keep up. Let’s give him someone closer to his level to fight.”

“Hasn’t sparred with us yet,” The Reader grinned. “In for a shock.”

* * *

She and Riddick had fought each other to a standstill before she’d taken Maddox on, the rest of the crew and Riddick watching from the stairs and catwalks. Sparring with Riddick had over prepared her for Maddox, ridiculously so, since the man had spent most of his time in cryo or in slams. Nobody had been able to match him for strength or skill. He’d been visibly surprised to see she and Riddick sparring with shivs and even more surprised when she’d offered him a match, without weapons until they were both accustomed to each other’s moves.

Maddox wasn’t a bad fighter, but to her his actions were broadcast over a wave they were so obvious. Riddick had been calling out instructions to the other Furyan and to his credit Maddox had been trying to follow them. When he had plainly become tired out River called a halt to the match, “Before breakfast in the mornings, training in martial arts.” She informed their new crew member. “Breakfast with us after. Then chores and the day is yours.”

He’d looked apprehensive but nodded and he’d shown up for training the next morning, doing his best to follow her in the katas she was teaching anyone interested. Breakfast became fascinating to observe as he tried to find a place to sit where he could see everyone in the room and not have his back to a door. He finally settled on a place that put his back in a corner and sat, slowly eating the meal and eyeing everyone besides River and Riddick warily.

Ruby entered the galley behind Ty and stayed behind him keeping out of Maddox’s view until she was forced to take a seat, keeping her ‘uncle’ between her and the new crewmember. Riddick slanted a glance at the girl and looked at River with an inquiring expression. “Shy,” River murmured for his ears only. “Wishes to observe more before committing to acquaintance.”

Riddick chuckled, his voice in her ear a low rumble, “Scent says she’s interested. Sure she was only fourteen when we picked her up?”

She shrugged, “Old soul. Nothing to explain maturity to her beyond observations of unhealthy unions in the hillfolk settlement. Experiences ages her beyond her years, though she is still too young and not of the Core. No rites of passage.”

“So, you don’t wanna find her a Companion?” Riddick smirked, amused at the thought.

To his surprise she considered the idea, “At fourteen, before the Academy, she was gifted with a Companion’s company, for an introduction to pleasure, though nothing beyond encouraging exploration of her own body and kissing.” River explained quietly, “The finale of her introductory education, regarding intimacy and reproduction.”

“No shit?” He blinked at her and she smiled, it being so rare that he was surprised.

“Common in the upper classes,” River explained. “Teaching adolescents that there is nothing wrong with their bodies, nothing sinful or terrible. Natural acts. Becoming adults. Accustoming them to the sensation hormones induce. Also cautioning them, not to push too far too fast. To do nothing they are not ready for with certainty. Ignorance is not bliss.”

“Hmm…” Riddick nodded, looking over at Ruby. “You serious? Want to get her one?”

“Would like to educate her first, she might not find such an experience the reward the girl did.” River considered the idea a bit more. “Education regarding such things was half a year before being gifted a Companion experience. Should she wish it, eventually, could speak with Inara regarding an introduction.”

“Way she was raised, seems like she’d need an education more than a regular kid would,” He agreed. “See how it goes. You think she’ll benefit from it and it’s something she wants; we can make sure it happens. Not like we’re running from the law or anything. Core planets are just annoying, not dangerous. Most mercs keep to the Border, Rim or farther.” He took the pan from the stove and River grabbed the muffins out of the oven bringing them to the table.

* * *

River had found herself looking around in pleased wonder when she counted up the time since she’d come to _Liberty_ and met Riddick in person. Keeping time could be difficult in the Black. Weeks could slip by like a whisper and years with only a murmur if one didn’t live planetside with a rising and setting sun to set the calendar. The Core had tried to get the rest of the ‘verse on a standard day, month and year, and for the most part had succeeded. Spacefaring folk tended to mark the years by tax time. Riddick had been beyond grateful when River had offered to take that portion of the financial duties. Reading the tax codes made for a terminally tedious afternoon but knowing the rules made working around them and sneaking through loopholes much, much easier.

The first time she’d done the taxes at the table in the galley, cortex beside paperwork as she reconciled Riddick’s books to determine what could be done to save money. Ruby had watched in fascination. Apparently bookkeeping and taxes were new to her. The second time Maddox had watched from the opposite side of the table, practicing his own math by trying to match hers. It had been one of the few times he and Ruby stayed in the same room for more than a minute.

Maddox continued to improve in his dealings with the crew. Off the ship he only got in a few fights, and those only because Ty and Jacob got involved. Apparently he’d felt as a Furyan it was his responsibility to back them up in a fight and keep them alive. For someone who’d been labeled ‘Killer of Men’ he was surprisingly easygoing as long as he was around (or under the command of) the ‘two alphas’ as he called Riddick and River.

Ruby was still a bit of a puzzle though she was taking to the educational programs River had developed for her like a duck to water. Including the one instructing her on reproduction and intimacy. She might blush as she signed but she managed to make herself understood. She was able to be in the same room as Maddox for longer than a minute or two these days but was still very shy around the much larger male.

“Got another feeling?” Riddick asked as he came up behind her on the bridge. He knew her well enough that he could tell when one of her Feelings was pushing her. The slight agitation, restlessness, and increased tension were all signs as loud as shouts to him. He never failed to notice and do whatever it took to help her deal with whatever it was pushing at her.

“Hmm… something on Persephone,” River nodded. “Think it might have to do with _Serenity_.”

“Could give ‘em a wave, see if you can narrow it down some,” He suggested taking a seat beside her.

“Debating that,” River frowned, “Feels like… Jayne… but…”

“Wave him, see what’s what.” Riddick told her, “Won’t know unless you ask.” She’d thanked Buddha more than once that Riddick had gotten past his jealousy of Serenity’s crew and his worry she’d go back to them. Once or twice her Feelings had led them to cross paths with her old crew and thankfully there hadn’t been any friction. Though it did seem that the Firefly had a new pilot every time they met up. Sailing with Mal was not for the faint of heart.

“Hmm…” She was still frowning as she engaged the cortex and entered _Serenity’s_ address. The conversation that followed wasn’t completely enlightening, but it boiled down to Jayne’s brother and sister being on Persephone waiting for _Serenity_ to land at Eavesdown. And of course, _Serenity_ wasn’t anywhere near Persephone and hadn’t planned to be for another two weeks.

“We’re headed there anyway,” Riddick leaned over her shoulder so the big gunhand could see him. “We’ll take care of them. Give ‘em a ride out to _Serenity_ or whatever they need.”

“I’m obliged,” Jayne nodded irritation wrinkling his forehead. “Woulda been there yesterday, but Mal’s got it in his head we’re headed out to Beylix.”

“Why’d they go to Persephone?” River tilted her head quizzically. “Thought your family were all farmers out on Kerry?”

“They are, the ones that aren’t metal workers,” Jayne nodded. “They come out to Persephone because Mattie’s gettin’ worse. Figured Simon could take a look at her.”

“Ah,” River nodded. “Mattie and Lucy?”

“Yeah,” He nodded again. “They don’t got much money and Lucy’s big but he ain’t never dealt with the likes of Eavesdown before.”

“We’ll set a course at hard burn, get there soonest,” Riddick promised. “Send you a wave when we get there.”

“Thanks… River… you’re smarter’n Simon even…” Jayne rubbed his chin.

“Will research, if need be, get her to a hospital,” River nodded her understanding. “Radiant will not lose another child.”

“Thanks,” Jayne took a deep breath and nodded. “You let me know if there’s anything you need.”

“Will do,” She nodded, and he cut the wave as she turned to look at her big man. “Mattie is prone to damp-lung. There’s an underlying condition that exacerbates it.”

“Asthma?” Riddick wondered, “Or she’s got a strain of tuberculosis and it’s recurring.”

“Theorizes that it’s TB, complicated by asthma,” River nodded. “Rim doesn’t always get all the inoculations. Bargain basement medicine, small profit immediately costs more lives in the long run. Secondhand accounts do not make for an accurate diagnosis though.”

“Set a course, I’ll let everyone know,” Riddick kissed her temple as he picked up the commlink.

* * *

Eavesdown hadn’t changed, and she didn’t expect it ever would short of a natural disaster. Figuring out where Jayne’s little brother and sister were staying wasn’t hard, though they’d moved on from the middling boarding house to one on the decidedly seamier side. Doubtless to save coin.

As a result, Jayne’s brother Lucy was more than a little haggard looking as he opened the door. “We’re paid up ‘til the—” He stopped when he got a look at River and Riddick. “Who’n the hell’re you?”

“Jamison sent us,” River used Jayne’s true name with a half-smile. “Said to tell you Lucius, that you and Madeleina are to come and stay on our ship, breathe clean air and allow her, myself, to examine Mattie.”

“You River?” Lucy leaned against the door.

“River and Rick,” She indicated her big man standing silently behind her. “He Captains the _Liberty_. I am…First Mate, though such titles are not formalized.”

“Jayme said he’d be here,” Dark blue eyes, a shade deeper than Jayne’s were still suspicious. He didn’t have his brother’s height, Jayne topped him by an inch or two and Riddick by at least that, but he was much younger than his older brother and likely didn’t have his full growth yet.

“Mal declined to set down on Persephone,” River shrugged. “We spoke with Jayne. Used to sail with him on _Serenity_ ,” She explained. “He knows we can help.” She had hoped the next step wouldn’t be necessary, but Jayne had waved her back and forwarded a capture for her to show his siblings. He’d been right that they weren’t trusting, but then they had reason for it.

“Show ‘em the capture,” Riddick suggested anticipating what was coming next. “Your brother sent a capture to us so he could reassure you,” He explained to the two siblings.

River pulled out her data book and opened it, bringing up Jayne’s wave. The big gunhand’s voice sounded tinny in the small speakers but it was unmistakably his voice, “Hey Lucy, Mattie, my boss, Cap’n Reynolds, he’s bein’ tetchy, don’ wanna set down on Persephone. River got one o’ them feelin’s I mentioned, an’ waved me. I told ‘em ‘bout how you’re waitin’ on me an’ she said she an’ her man Rick, they’d come to get yas. She’s a real genius type even if she is a bit touched, an’ she’ll figure out what’s wrong with Mattie, an’ if the same thin’s startin’ ta ail ya Lucy. You can trust her, she ain’t never steered us wrong. Once she got her brain workin’ right anyway.”

River rolled her eyes as Jayne cut the capture off as abruptly as it had started, “Big ape man.” She muttered affectionately, “Can’t be bothered with hello or good-bye.”

Riddick chuckled behind her, “Man of few words.” He had a grin on his face, she could hear it in his voice. Her occasionally recurring preoccupation with courtesy never failed to amuse him. “C’mon, let’s get you two onto _Liberty_ and some clean air. That’ll help out. The smog around here irritates the hell out of me and I’m not even sick.”

Lucy nodded and stepped back, allowing them to see into the very small spartan room. Bunkbeds, a stand for a suitcase and a sink/toilet combo similar to crew quarters aboard _Liberty_. Barely wider than River was tall and hardly worthy of being called a room really. With the four of them inside it could give the claustrophobia of a jail cell a run for its money. “Yeah, all right.” He moved to pick up a small case and a carpetbag along with a couple of packs and coughed in a way that sounded as if it would turn into an unceasing coughing fit if it went on too long.

The girl on the bottom bunk didn’t look as if she was twenty, just as Lucy didn’t look his age, she was painfully thin and the shadows under her deep blue, nearly violet eyes, distracted from how pretty her face really was. Riddick frowned, “River…”

“I see,” River nodded and took one of the packs from Lucy, handing the other to Riddick which he slung over his shoulder. “She needs medication and clean air.”

“Lucius, if you’ll carry the case and carpetbag, Rick will carry Madeleina,” River told the young man gently. “Best if we get both of you back on _Liberty_ soonest.”

“Ship’s air really gonna be that much better?” Lucy was doing as she suggested while Riddick moved forward and scooped the exhausted girl up into his arms. “The transport we came on didn’t feel like the air was any too clean.”

“Probably too cheap to change the filters regularly,” Riddick didn’t even grunt under Mattie’s weight. “My ship, we take good care of that sort of thing. Place I spent most of my time, I make damn sure it has clean fuckin’ air.” He jerked his head at the younger man, “Talking about it isn’t doing either of you any good. C’mon.”

* * *

The first thing Riddick did after depositing Mattie onto the bed in the infirmary was send Bella and Ty out for more provisions, protein in all the colors of the rainbow, as much good food as they could manage and spices so the aforementioned rainbow protein would at least taste appetizing (even if nothing could make up for its looks).

Lizzie and Jacob were on standby until River could determine the cause of the intermittent illness. While she studied the blood samples and listened to their lungs, Lucy waved his big brother to let him know the two of them were on River and Rick’s ship.

Finally, she looked up from the electron microscope. Diminutive as it was, and nowhere near as powerful as one a hospital would employ, it still sufficed. “Hypothesis is correct,” She rubbed her eyes. “Rick, we need the broad spectrum Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine.”

“Lizzie, Jacob,” Riddick barked out their names and the two stood in the door of the infirmary. “Listen up.”

River began to write down the list of what they’d need, “Go to the Monk, tell him ‘home is the sailor home from the sea’, and what we need.” She half smiled, “Knows the girl, knows she’s good for the coin, or a favor later. Did him a favor once, helped him out of a jam. Best black-market doctor on Persephone.” She explained to Lucy and Mattie who was awake again, “You both have tuberculosis, one of the lesser known varieties that some of the vaccines don’t prevent. Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium has been known to…mutate, becomes resistant to specific vaccinations.” She looked at Lucy, “Very infectious disease. Got it from your sister. She got it as a child. Born early, lungs were never very strong. A miracle she’s lived so long. Cobbs are stubborn and it served you both well.” She grinned at him and was rewarded with a half-smile.

“Asking for the broadest spectrum vaccine, as well as antibiotics to target this specific strain. Also, cortical steroids and regenerative medicines to aid Mattie’s lungs to grow strong.” She spoke as she handed the list to Lizzie. “Also asking for nutrient supplements to aid in growth.”

“You tell the Monk he can bill _Liberty_ or trust that we’ll make it up to him,” Riddick told them. “Go and come back, fast as you can. Take the new mule.”

They’d bought another mule, a smaller one but still handy, just in case they had more than one job going at a time and needed the wheels. Wheels being a strictly figurative phrase considering both mules had none. Jacob nodded and hurried to lower it to the deck while Lizzie took the list and read it over, “Is he gonna understand alla this? I can’t pronounce half of it.”

“He’ll know,” River nodded. “Sooner rather than later.” She reminded the woman and Lizzie hurried off.

“Anything we can do for them now?” Riddick was leaning in the doorway of the infirmary.

“Nourishment,” River suggested. “Showers, clean clothes, food and rest. Until the medicine returns.” She looked at the two Cobbs, Jayne’s youngest siblings and smiled. “Will show you where the head is. Water is plentiful since we are docked. Shampoo and soap provided.”

“Figure once they’re out of the infirmary they can stay in the passenger bunks,” Riddick was reading her mind again and she grinned at him.

“Seems optimal,” She nodded, beckoning to Lucy so she could show him the passenger’s head.

* * *

Maddox emerged from his bunk and came in search of she and Riddick. She could Read that part of him needed to know where they were, that his animal didn’t feel safe without knowing his Alphas were still in charge. Maddox’s communication skills had greatly improved since their first meeting but now and then he still had trouble articulating what his instincts told him. Tarnished silver eyes flicked from her to Mattie and back to her again as she fed the younger woman soup. “’S goin’ on?”

“Siblings of my old crewmate,” River explained. “Incomplete vaccinations have led to illness. Clean air and medicines will make them well.” She glanced at him curiously, “Looking for Rick?”

It was her habit to only use his first name in any place that wasn’t their bunk. Better to be cautious than overheard and she Read the minds of anyone who might hear them ruthlessly to be certain her big man’s identity remained a secret. The soundproofing kept the crew from hearing any more from their bunk and muffled some of Riddick’s extraordinary senses to a point. Maddox, of course, knew who he was but couldn’t care less so long as Riddick stayed his alpha.

The rest of the crew, while they still found River to be something of an enigma, had long ago reconciled their Captain ‘Rick’ with the reputation of Riddick. His reaction after he’d been shot and she collapsed after surgery had cemented the idea that their cautious but relatively easy going (from their perspective anyway) Captain actually was Big Evil. Casual threats of disembowelment and open throats fit in with what they’d heard of Riddick. But _Liberty_ ran like a well-oiled machine (if the pun could be forgiven) because Riddick might growl or roar threats but it had become clear that he didn’t harm anyone who hadn’t done something to deserve it.

These days no one on the crew seemed to think much about the fact that Big Evil was their Captain. Every one of them had seen some form of fighting, all of them but for Ruby remembered the war, and Riddick’s insistence on being prepared for nearly any emergency soothed their nerves more than they realized. Maddox joining them had gotten a few funny looks but no one had objected and he’d more than proved himself in his own way.

“Just…wonderin’…” Maddox shrugged uncomfortably. “Smelt new people aboard.”

“He’s in our bunk if you need to speak with him,” She knew that wasn’t it, not entirely but although the crew knew she had ‘feelings’ no one but Riddick was aware that she was a Reader. Not even Maddox.

“Ruby’s… she’s…” The Beta Furyan wasn’t stumbling over his words but he wasn’t spitting them out either. “Ready to graduate?”

“She’s nearly seventeen,” River reminded him. Strange to think so much time had passed. It seemed like yesterday she’d come aboard looking for a kidnapping victim. “On some planets she’s considered an adult. Why?”

“Heard you…talkin’…’bout a graduation gift.” He wasn’t mumbling but he wasn’t looking her in the eye either.

“That will depend upon what she wants,” Her tone was repressive. She couldn’t be entirely certain of Maddox’s motivations, though he was much easier to Read than Riddick, he didn’t think linearly.

“Not sayin’ she shouldn’t do what she wants…” Maddox held up his hands as if in surrender. “Just… wonderin’ what it means…is all.”

River tilted her head, focusing on him for a moment and nearly smiled when she understood what he meant. Apparently talking to monsters under the bed wasn’t solely in her purview though likely being a Reader made it easier to mentally ‘find’ Riddick. It must be a Furyan thing, though Maddox had immediately made the connection between Ruby and his dream girl whereas she and Riddick had taken a bit of time. Funny how shy they’d been with each other even being aware of the connection. Or perhaps because of the it. Unwilling to go too far in person when they were so close in spirit? She wondered if he’d known when Ruby didn’t speak or if they’d found another way of communicating. “My gift to her at graduation is…a mix of what I was given at fourteen and my ‘graduation’ gift at eighteen. Since Ruby will be seventeen when she finishes her education it will be up to her to decide on the…scope of the gift.”

“But she’s gonna be an adult,” Maddox was very intent upon that and River nodded slowly. He’d learned since coming aboard _Liberty_ , learned about society’s rules versus nature. His Animal told him that Ruby was of age to breed, that made her of courting age. But society said that until she was an adult he wasn’t allowed to treat her as if she was someone to court. Riddick and River had taken great pains to explain him why society’s rules should be given respect. He didn’t always agree but he at least came to them with questions before he went about breaking public mores willy-nilly. A wise precaution since he had no desire to return to a slam.

“She will be, in the eyes of many.” She frowned thoughtfully, “Perhaps it would be wise to speak with Rick about this? He may be able to give you some advice.”

“Yeah,” Maddox nodded and retreated from the infirmary without more than a nod at Mattie.

“He’s… big.” Mattie offered finally.

“Not as big as my _bàng jiār_ ,” River laughed softly. “But Maddox is becoming more accustomed to civilization. Slowly. Even if none of us are strictly civilized.” Riddick really despised that word, associating it with hypocritical rules, weakness and stupidity. Not that she truly disagreed having been subject to the aforementioned rules for much of her life. She’d learned to describe things as courteous or polite rather than civilized. Society had its points, but it also had snares and Riddick had fallen afoul of civilization’s insincere morals a few too many times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So we’ve met another Furyan… I kind of figured all of you would see that coming when they came across the Kublai Khan. And I wanted to have a bit of a time jump that wasn’t totally jarring. I don’t really like to put notes saying ‘two years into the future’ but I hope it was clear that River had been with Liberty for quite a while. Taxes are a universal evil and seemed like a good way to indicate the passage of time.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed. 
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> bàng jiār (lover / partner)
> 
> fàng zòng fēng kuáng de jié (knot of self-indulgent lunacy/indulge in crazy knots)
> 
> Jī dū zài tā mā de shí zì jià shàng (Christ on the fucking cross)
> 
> Quote Sources:
> 
> Home is the sailor home from the sea – Requiem – Robert Lewis Stevenson


	12. Eleven

“You had to send him my way,” Riddick griped as she descended the ladder into their bunk. “He’s like a teenager. All when, and how and what’s right and what will she…” He groaned as she laughed. “It ain’t funny woman,” He argued. “I am no sort of example to be following. And I don’t exactly know what I’m talking about when it comes to courtship or how teenage girls behave. Never courted anyone in my life until I met you and then I half-assed my way through it until you decided you wanted to keep me.”

“Ruby is just as bad,” River reminded him. “Asking questions without asking. Trying to figure out how to entice without being a tease or promising more than she is ready for. Wondering when she will be allowed to behave as she’d like and not sure how she really wants to behave.” She shrugged, “And I am just as inexperienced. No practice flirting or dating. Went from childhood to insanity to rejection with short breaks for socially approved contact in between before I met you.”

“Teenagers,” Riddick rolled his eyes.

“Not far off from the truth,” She reminded him, unlacing her boots. “Institutionalized since he was fourteen, in and out of cryo, physical age can’t be more than twenty or twenty-two at most, and young in his mind in many ways.”

“And with all she’s seen, Ruby’s older than him sometimes,” Riddick sighed. “He sees her, in his dreams. Wanted to know if that was normal. She talks to him there.” He drew her close and began to take her hair down while she unbuttoned her shirt. “Told him I’d dreamed of you since I was a kid. It came out that he’s had her in his head just as long. She wasn’t born yet so I can’t quite figure how that works. Hell, pretty sure you weren’t born yet when I started dreaming you.”

“Mated, soul mates,” River smiled and kissed his palm. “Furyan’s find a way. Defiant to the end. Bow to no one. And it has been well established that time is not a fixed construct.”

“That’s true enough,” He nodded and stripped off what little clothing he wore. “And spirit warrior argues for the soul or spirit part. It’s just a little…”

“Weird? Even for us?” River smiled.

“Sounds like science fiction,” Riddick pulled her closer, pressing against his body, his mouth rubbing over the skin of her neck.

“We live on a spaceship,” She giggled even as she arched her neck up to his mouth.

“Well yeah, there’s that,” He kissed her, and every other thought flew out of her brain.

* * *

Mattie and Lucy looked a lot better after several months of flying on _Liberty_. Mattie had filled out enough that Ty nearly drooled every time he looked at her pretty face and lush curves. Lucy had actually gained an inch in height and muscle had started to frame the promise of his wide shoulders. It helped that Riddick had made absolutely certain that ‘the kids’ got full portions at meals and then some. Her bàng jiār (lover / partner) had a soft spot for kids, she’d learned over time, and wouldn’t stand for them starving or being mistreated. In his mind Maddox (even though the Furyan was a crew member and as such earning a wage), Ruby, Lucy and Mattie were all still kids. Therefore, proper care of them should be taken. And woe betide anyone who said otherwise.

Both Lucy and Mattie had been rid of the lingering cough and weakness of the disease as the medicines did their work. Mattie’s asthma would likely subside as she continued to grow stronger and lived in the fresh air of Kerry’s farm and ranchlands. When they finally met up with _Serenity_ on Santo the two of them were chomping at the bit to see their brother.

Jayne’s face had been a study in relief as he’d descended _Serenity_ ’s ramp to see his siblings waiting next to _Liberty_. He’d grabbed them up in a hug and looked over their heads to find River, “Thanks. River…just…”

“She knows,” River nodded, smiling at how happy the three of them felt. Finally united after a decade (or more) apart.

“Jayne I dunno what you were goin’ on about, the two of ‘em look hale and hearty,” Mal remarked with his usual tendency to say the wrong thing. River privately theorized that Simon’s ‘boob-ness’ was contagious.

Jayne turned around and actually growled at the Captain, a hostile enough sound that it got a respectful eyebrow from Riddick and Maddox clenched his fists until he realized Jayne wasn’t aiming it at his people. “You dumb _gao yang jong duh goo yang_. I oughta—”

“Jayne,” Zoë’s quiet voice calmed the big man. “You gonna introduce us?”

River tilted her head, Jayne’s nod of respect tugging at her until she followed the thread of thought and sighed sadly. Zoë would never return his regard, never be able to open her heart enough for love after losing Wash. What’s worse, Jayne knew it and had accepted it. He had hoped in the beginning that she would soften towards him, that he could change just enough that she’d see him as worthy, but after several years he was beginning to realize that it would never happen. The First Mate would never let down her guard again. She’d lost her war, she’d lost her husband. Mal and her child and _Serenity_ were her world now and she would make room for no other.

“What is it?” Riddick was inhaling her scent as Jayne made introductions of his siblings to _Serenity_ ’s crew.

“Cares for Zoë. But she will never return his affection,” River murmured in his ear. “She knows but does nothing to reject or encourage him. Cannot acknowledge it, break the façade of ignorance or he will take some action. Keeps him in limbo, everything stays the same. Trying to protect herself from anymore hurt. He knows she will never accept him, but he cannot leave. Pains him to stay but it feels worse to go and leave her vulnerable. Kaylee still can’t shoot worth a damn and while Simon has improved, he is a healer and needed in that capacity. Jayne knows _Serenity_ still needs him.”

“That just…” Riddick shook his head.

“Stinks,” Maddox remarked and shrugged at her when she looked at him. “Furyan ears.” He studied the trio of Cobb siblings, “Sure he won’t leave ‘em? Smells like he loves his family as much as he does her.”

River looked at Jayne, so happy to be with his brother and sister, relieved they were well (or on their way to well), his mind full of the brother he’d lost when he was young, taken by a disease that could have been cured if they had money for a doctor. The impetus for his leaving home. The reason he always sent pay back. So, he wouldn’t lose any other siblings, so his mother wouldn’t have to bury any more of her children. Mothers weren’t meant to outlive their children. His eldest brother had stayed though he’d been tempted to go sailing the Black for the coin alone. But their mother had needed Benji, and he was a capable farmer and hunter. Since Benjamin had stayed it had meant Jayne had been free to go. “Possibly,” She tilted her head. “Only if he knew _Serenity_ was safe without him. Zoë, Mal and Jayne are the only true gun-hands.”

Riddick was looking over their crew, his thoughts on Jacob’s edginess. “Got the feeling it wouldn’t be that much of an issue. Jacob’s been restless lately, asking about more ‘exciting’ jobs. Seems he’s thinking we’re a touch too tame for his blood. Told him we aren’t much interested in exciting so much as good pay. Like my crew in the same amount of pieces they came with and ‘exciting’ tended towards too many bullet holes for my comfort. Even with body armor, someone could always get a lucky shot.”

“Tame?” Maddox voiced the thought just as she did, and they exchanged a grin.

“Wouldn’t have thought any of us could be considered tame,” River continued in a murmur. She studied Jacob and delved into his thoughts in a way she rarely felt the need to anymore. “Likes all of us but he grows bored. Wishes to fly, fight, feels itchy, as if moss grows upon him. Likes the adrenaline rush of less legal work.”

“Yeah, caught him looking up work on the cortex while he was doing his shift on the bridge,” Riddick shrugged. “Santo’s as good a place as any if he wants to go.”

“Wouldn’t mind the twins sailing with us longer,” Maddox shrugged. He’d taken to calling the Cobb siblings twins because they were so close in age, not even a year apart. Irish twins Lucy had quipped, using an old phrase for siblings born the same year. “One of these days Ty’s gonna trip over his tongue. But Ruby thinks they’re fun.”

“Closest to the two of you in age,” River teased him, and Maddox shrugged. So long as Lucy didn’t look at Ruby with the intent to court her he didn’t have an opinion about the young man staying on the boat or getting off. He got along with the Cobb siblings well enough and Ruby liked them. Her opinion was gold as far as Maddox was concerned.

The younger Furyan’s stomach growled and he looked around for Ruby, concerned as always that if he was hungry she would be too. “Need to eat soon,” Was all he said.

“Yeah,” Riddick was eyeing _Serenity’s_ crew thoughtfully and River sighed, taking his hand and tugging him over to greet her brother. None of her old crew had ever completely warmed up to Riddick besides Jayne. He had relaxed about meeting up with _Serenity_ , knowing she didn’t want to leave him and would not. But her ex-shipmates tended to regard Riddick with suspicion. Likely the instincts that served to keep them alive and ahead of the law telling them her _bàng jiār_ was far more dangerous than any of them. Even the most civilized human being had an animal hind brain to react in the presence of a predator. As a result they were forced to deal with near painful formality upon every meeting until enough time had passed (or alcohol consumed) that _Serenity’s_ crew loosened up.

Of course none of them knew Riddick’s last name. While she trusted them with her life (and had on more than one occasion), Riddick’s life was (almost literally) an entirely different animal. Their crew knowing still made her uneasy at times, for all that they’d accepted that the Big Evil was their Captain. All of them had made their peace with the idea that Riddick had been put in a frame and his record expunged when he’d rid the ‘verse of the Necromongers. Sure, he was a killer, but not of anyone who didn’t deserve it. And none of them were so innocent they could pass judgement.

But the more people who knew a secret, the more easily it could be learned by others. What was the old saying? Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead. _Serenity_ ’s crew didn’t need to know. And she wasn’t going to risk them learning. Apart from her very real need to protect Riddick, should anyone come looking for him, they would likely find her as well.

But the end result was _Serenity’s_ continuing suspicion regarding her big man. They could all see how happy she was with him, in this new life with him, so nothing was ever said, not out loud. She could take that and be grateful and hope they’d get used to how things were. And ignore the unvoiced thoughts.

* * *

It turned out that _Serenity_ had gone through more than a couple of pilots since River had left. More than she had realized on the rare occasions when the _Liberty_ had met up with _Serenity_. Either they weren’t as good as advertised or they didn’t get along with Mal or the crew. Mal could pilot but needing someone ready to take off at a moment’s notice made it hard for him to sail the boat and go on jobs. And they needed him on jobs.

Jayne and Simon had both filled her in on what had been happening. One of the pilots they’d taken on had been nowhere near as good as he claimed in tricky situations, as a result _Serenity_ had some new hull plating and they’d been gorram lucky it hadn’t breached the hull entirely. Scraping against a mountain while landing was not recommended for Fireflies. Or any other ship that wanted to stay in the air or the Black without sucking vacuum.

Another, a woman, kept trying to make a play for Mal, and spent more time plotting to seduce him than she did plotting courses. She liked the safe easy space lanes which Mal didn’t because safe easy space lanes made it too easy for the Alliance to come sniffing around. Thanks to her they’d had one or two close calls with Alliance patrol ships and last-minute course changes to avoid said ships.

There’d been several others. Some had lasted weeks, others months, the longest being eight months before he’d decided he wasn’t making enough of a share of the jobs. That had raised the crew’s hackles right along with Mal’s and he’d been informed that he was welcome to find them better paying jobs. That had irritated him, and he’d left; apparently, he’d thought he should be paid more, not that the entire ship should benefit.

Inara was no more a gunhand than she was a goose and she could deal with the bridge in the Black but landings and take-offs were beyond her skill and would be for a good while longer though with an experienced pilot she might learn more quickly. Mal was good but teaching her wasn’t his strong suit. Zoë could deal with the shuttles but not _Serenity_ herself. Kaylee and Simon were no good on the bridge and Jayne freely admitted that he had no idea of how to sail the boat. And he wasn’t all that keen to learn. He knew his limits.

“Told you to find a pilot,” River rolled her eyes at her old captain.

“And I’ve been tryin’, ain’t like they’re so thick on the ground,” Mal retorted. “Where’m I supposed to find one?” He added the caveat, “That can stand us and that we can stand and don’t fold like boiled ramen under pressure.”

“Seems like you need a pilot and a gunhand, but not both at the same time,” Riddick commented glancing over at Jayne. The big man hadn’t left his siblings once in the two hours the crews had been visiting. River could tell Mal was getting the idea that Jayne was ready to leave _Serenity_ and spend more time with his family, though the Captain would never admit it. “Jacob’s a fair hand at both.”

“Gets bored easily,” River added. “ _Liberty_ isn’t very exciting.”

Jacob shifted uncomfortably, “Ain’t that I don’t like ya’ll…”

“Craves more,” River shrugged. “Not a sin.”

“Ain’t like you took an oath of fealty or something,” Riddick added with a chuckle. “Swearing loyalty,” He interpreted for the benefit of the slightly less educated (or less widely read).

“Well it do seem like life never goes smooth on _Serenity_ ,” Mal admitted. “More excitement than we like sometimes.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind?” Jacob was regarding Riddick and River a bit warily.

“Better to go with a blessing than stay reluctantly,” River shrugged, and Riddick nodded his agreement.

“Well I wouldn’t mind someone who could pull double duty until we can get another gunhand,” Mal looked over at Jayne who’d been listening to the conversation with half an ear, proving that stubborn as he might be, Mal wasn’t completely unobservant. And if he thought something was his idea that was best for everyone. “If you don’t mind takin’ Jayne on. Seems like he’ll end up as a passenger if he ain’t crew.”

“Don’t have any jobs lined up that need muscle,” Jayne reminded him pointedly. “Ain’t like you’ll be needin’ me.” That Mal still didn’t entirely trust him went unsaid. Even after Miranda, Mal’s guard around Jayne hadn’t come down completely. But then when Mal got something in his head it took an earthquake or volcano to move it. Mule-stubborn wasn’t the half of it.

“Well we’ll try it out,” Mal nodded at Jacob. “See how we do for a few weeks.”

“Sounds good,” The man nodded. “I’ll grab my things.” He left the table and strode towards the _Liberty_.

“Been packed for several days,” River murmured. She tilted her head, “Ahh…” A smile curved her lips. “Would like to sail with a slightly less…knowing crew.”

“Why’s that?” Mal asked warily.

“Used to be a merc, more gunhand like Jayne than guild merc, but has some…affiliations with the guild. Enough to know that mercs are not always upstanding citizens and didn’t join because of that. Informal but still associated,” River explained quietly. “Knows we don’t like mercs on our boat. Too many of them after us. Dislikes constantly guarding his tongue, around us, around others. Likes us all, but feels that if he can’t relax after so long it’s time to change boats.”

“Yeah, I can see where he’d get a little nervy ‘round you Albatross,” Mal half smiled behind his coffee mug. “Still need to find a gunhand, or someone else who can pull double duty like he can.”

“Check with The Monk on Persephone,” River suggested. “Might have some people who want to sail the Black. Especially as Badger is no longer in business.”

“Not that he could be trusted anyway,” Riddick added.

“I might do that,” Mal nodded. He narrowed his eyes at River, “Heard tell Badger ran into some trouble a while back. The kind of trouble that put him and several of his _gǒu tuǐ zi_ out of business. Permanently. Heard tell some later that a little woman and a big man had something to do with it.”

River exchanged a smirk with Riddick and the two of them looked at Mal. “Wouldn’t have been the first time Badger set someone up for a bad fall,” River reminded him. “Battle of Sturges. Cap’n’s head in a bag.”

“I take it he tried somethin’ similar with the two of you,” Mal rubbed away his smile. “Well it ain’t like we could do business with him anyway, the way the last job went.”

“He wanted us to take out a payroll station, trouble was that it wasn’t owned by a security firm or corporation,” Riddick explained. “It belonged to one of his rivals. We could have taken it out, wouldn’t have been hard. But we’d be marked. The share of the job wouldn’t be worth the trouble we’d have after. And Badger didn’t bother to mention the complication, or that he’d be benefiting more in the long term. And we land on Persephone often enough that it would have made even more problems for us in the long run.”

“Decided we’d have a word with Badger regarding that and other…transgressions,” River shrugged. “Badger and some of his men…”

“Take it they didn’t exactly like your tone when you were addressin’ ‘em on the points in issue?” Mal smirked.

“ _È yǒu 'èbào_. Saw both of them working before, knew their level of skill… Very foolish to make any sort of threat, much less draw on them,” River rolled her eyes. “Badger’s territory is much smaller now, run by one of his henchmen. None too bright. But ruthless. Has his little niche and stays in it. Self aware and reins in his ambition.”

Riddick grinned, “And we do enough work for a variety of folks here, people have pretty much figured out we’re neutral as far as turf wars go. We don’t come down on any one side. Trying to trick us into it doesn’t work out well for them either. Everybody heard what happened to Badger.”

“And they don’t have to worry about us coming against any of them, not unless they’re pulling one of Badger’s games.” River nodded. “Which they have the sense to not attempt.”

“Heard tell there were some folk pretty much all of Eavesdown knew not to cross,” Mal shook his head. “Should have known it was you ‘Tross.”

River smiled, “Not nearly as intimidating without my partner. Helps to have a big man to be a scary genius along with her.” She looked over at Jayne as he came to a decision. He’d been weighing the odds of Zoë ever seeing him as a potential lover if he remained on _Serenity_ and had finally determined that he was carrying a torch that would scorch him if he didn’t let it fade out. Jayne wasn’t stupid, or stubborn without reason, he had the chance to be with his family, and he was going to take it. If he was very lucky Zoë would miss him when he was gone. But _Serenity_ would go on without him, with barely a hitch in her stride.

Jayne stood up, “I’m gonna get my stuff together.” He looked at his siblings, “Ya’ll wanna give me a hand?”

“We will come as well,” River stood, and Riddick stood with her. “You’ll need help with the weight bench and equipment.”

“You got space for it?” Jayne looked at her curiously. “Thought you all did more cargo than _Serenity_ usually.”

“We do, but we still got more than enough deck space,” Riddick replied for her. “You set up in the bay?”

“Yeah, only place with enough room,” Jayne nodded.

“Show me, we’ll get you fixed up the same on _Liberty_.” The Furyan shrugged and continued in a quieter voice once they were away from the rest of _Liberty’s_ crew. “None of them know about River. Except Maddox. He guessed a couple months back.”

“Well it ain’t somethin’ most folks’d believe,” Jayne shrugged. “Shouldn’t be too hard to not talk about.” He slanted a glance over at River, “Ain’t like she goes pullin’ thoughts outa our brains much anyways.”

River grinned at him, “Sanity does prevent the tongue from wagging without a filter.” And thinking of filters, she’d have a quiet word with Jacob to make certain he knew keeping Riddick’s name to himself was in the best interest of everyone. Especially him if he wanted to continue living a pain free (for the most part) existence.

“Just a bit,” Jayne chuckled.

* * *

It had been more than three years since she’d come to the _Liberty_. River smiled as she finished cleaning up after the evening meal. Jayne and Lucy had opted to stay on _Liberty_ , while Mattie had asked to be taken home. Much to Ty’s disappointment there was a fella there who was sweet on her and her on him. Mattie’s fella had been sending her waves every couple of days since she and Lucy had left home. He’d given her all the news of the area and town, along with saying each time how much he missed her.

It had been good to meet Jayne’s folks. Their ranch turned out to be pretty sprawling but it was common to own dozens of acres and still not be considered very well off. Space was required since the growth seasons were so short. The cattle needed to graze and moved constantly. Jayne and his siblings had grown up herding cattle, farming and learning to weld like their father. The family wasn’t dirt poor now, with several children grown and Jayne sending pay back after every job. They weren’t rich but they weren’t dead broke either.

Soon they’d have enough saved that they could help Mattie’s beau build a house on the other side of their property adjoining that of his parents. River had Read that when Jayne’s parents passed they had it set that each child would inherit a portion of the property, to be rented out or farmed as they pleased. Jayne’s eldest brother had a small cabin near the woodsier part of the land and rode over daily to help his mother with the work required of a farmer. Likely Jayne and Lucy would let him farm their portions for a share in the profits and they could retire there when it was their time.

Riddick had come up behind her as she was standing by the fencing, his arms wrapping around her waist so he could press his body to her back. “Something’s tugging at you, _zhì 'ài_?”

“Hmm… getting another feeling,” River nodded. Radiant’s gratitude had been almost embarrassing when she’d seen how hale and hearty her children had grown while they’d been gone. “She mourns her son, long dead. And mourns that Lucy and Jayne will not remain home. She understands but it is still a sorrow in her heart. An empty house.”

“She seems the sort of woman who thrives on taking care of people,” Riddick observed. “Must have been hard on her to know that no matter how much care she gave them, her kids were still sick most of the time.”

“She and Sally, both of them, love children, love raising them, teaching them,” River half smiled, her eyes turning towards the east. “Think I might take a ride… go around the borders of the ranch.”

“Farm, ranch,” Riddick chuckled, “Guess it doesn’t make much difference what you call it. I’ll let Jayne know you’ve gotten one of your feelings and what you’re doing.”

That particular feeling had led her around the perimeter of the ranch where she came across a couple of children near the main road. They’d run away or had been thrown out (specifics being slightly unclear), not all families being as loving as Jayne’s and according to what she saw in their minds their drunken father wouldn’t care that they were gone. Their mother had abandoned her family not long after the second child had been born. It was something of a miracle they’d lived this long considering the squalor she saw in their thoughts when they thought of home.

Radiant Cobb was a good woman, and when River had brought the two little girls back to the farmhouse she’d only seen little ones in need of mothering. Riddick had smirked into his coffee when Radiant had exclaimed over the girls and sat them down to eat. Thankfully between Sally Cobb’s skill as a welder and Radiant’s as a farmer/rancher they could afford another couple of mouths to feed. Especially considering both Jayne and Lucy would be sending pay home now and most of the couple’s children were grown or just about old enough to fly the nest.

None of them recognized the children as being from a neighbor or the nearby town. That argued for someone deliberately abandoning them as far from civilization as possible. Neither of the girls were sickly (a minor miracle considering the circumstances) which had been the primary expense keeping the Cobbs from reaching a level of income close to prosperous. Jayne sending back his pay had covered most of the medical bills but not all. If he hadn’t left home the Cobbs might have had to sell some acreage to pay taxes on the rest.

Riddick had looked at Jayne’s father and then at Jayne and Lucy, “Your family’s got some fun traditions with names, don’t they?”

“Sally’s just short for Salazar,” Mr. Cobb had chuckled. “My pa, he was named Jamison like our Jayme. He always figured a name folks thought was girly was just a way of toughenin’ ya up.”

“His pa’s name was Sue,” Jayne added. “Mine didn’t sound so girly ‘til someone couldn’t read my writin’ and called me Jayne. I didn’t much care.”

River smiled, “Good names.”

“His was short for Solomon, though how you get Sue out of it I got no idea,” Lucy put in his two cents as he carefully helped the littlest girl into her chair. “You two got names sweetie?”

“Mouse,” The older girl, who couldn’t have been more than six offered shyly. The little one, who was maybe four, just shook her head and the oldest replied for her, “Mooch.”

“Hmm…” Radiant shook her head and looked over at River, “Seems like such pretty girls should have some prettier names.”

River had just grinned and the discussion that had begun continued through the afternoon and the evening meal before names were settled upon. Mouse became Margaret, most likely called Maggie for every day, and Mooch was christened Melody, Mel for short. Radiant had gotten them settled together in a bedroom no longer used by their second oldest son. Jayne had playfully teased that they would have to let him sleep on the floor and not step on him in the morning even as he moved his things into Benjamin’s old room to share with Lucy.

Riddick had found the entire thing more amusing than not, and Maddox had simply used the time to go hunting, bringing back enough game to feed the Cobbs and _Liberty’s_ crew for months if they were careful. Ruby had gone with Maddox a few times, and spent the rest of her days with Radiant learning to cook different recipes and teaching Lucy and Jayne how to sign. Ty had used the time to stretch his legs, enjoy being dirtside. He’d gone into town with his sister and her wife and they’d come back with fabric, thread and other supplies for Bella to augment the crew’s wardrobes, for a small fee. The week they spent on the farm had given River the opportunity to change out some of the more worn parts on _Liberty’s_ engine and check that all the fittings were still tight.

Sally had offered to do any welding they might need and Radiant had packed them several hand crates worth of her preserves. Flour and barley rounded out the gifts and River had grinned and told Jayne he was in charge of making stew the first night they were in the Black.

Her old crewmate turned new crewmate had just grinned at her. “Oh yeah, like that’s a real hardship,” He rolled his eyes.

* * *

Riddick held her close, his mouth drifting lazily over her neck as she regained her breath, her heartbeat finally slowing to its normal rate. Well normal when Riddick wasn’t doing his best to make her mindless with bliss. “Hmm…” He was smiling against her skin. “You’re just about perfect, woman.”

“He is prone to exaggeration,” River sighed and kissed his chin, her hands stroking over his shoulders.

“Nope,” Still grinning Riddick pulled her closer. “Pretty sure about that.”

“It has been more than three years,” She murmured. “Since I came aboard _Liberty_.” Her gaze wandered over the walls of their cabin, lined with shelves of books, their weapons rack, her sketchpad and Riddick’s shiv making supplies sitting near her toe-shoes. They’d traded work for quilts and better pillows, and found a rug for the floor, making the cabin cozier and less utilitarian. Riddick, for all his ‘educated in the penal system’ experiences, enjoyed a comfortable bed even more than the next man and didn’t take having it (or her in it) for granted.

“Luckiest day of my life,” Riddick kissed her gently. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Even though we haven’t found Furya?” River wondered, “All those trails, feelings, clues…led us everywhere but Furya.” She couldn’t figure out why they hadn’t picked up some sort of trail, but Riddick had been looking for years before he’d met her and had gotten nowhere either.

“We’ll find it someday,” He shrugged, and she could feel how unconcerned he was. “Or our kids will. Maddox’s kids maybe. Long as I got you and our ship it doesn’t matter.”

“Our kids?” River blinked up at him and he stilled.

“That something you don’t want?” Now he sounded cautious and wondering if he’d overstepped, his body slightly stiff against hers.

“Something I want very much,” She smiled. “Wasn’t sure you did.”

“Oh, I want,” Riddick smiled down at her slow and wicked. “Think I’ll start right now.”

She could only moan as he began to kiss and touch her again, knowing he’d drive her mad and screaming with pleasure before he was through. Good thing they’d gotten that soundproofing installed back on Beylix.

* * *

It didn’t happen immediately. Months and months later, after another job, this one robbing an armored car/stagecoach (of all the crazy things), Riddick had carried her off to their bunk to ‘celebrate’ their success. He’d very nearly kept her in bed and they’d have skipped the job altogether but coin was never not going to be a factor.

But once back in their bunk he hadn’t been able to stop himself. She wouldn’t have thought it possible but she’d lost count of how many times he’d made her fall, how often they’d made love. Each time his body locked inside hers, his hands holding her to him firmly as he filled her over and over.

They were both exhausted, wrapped around each other and uncaring about anything else in the ‘verse by the time they were done with each other. Oddly, just as they fell asleep, Riddick’s body still joined with hers, a pale blue light pulsed through the bunk and was gone.

River blinked, trying to concentrate through her fatigue, wondering what she was seeing, if she’d been hallucinating, dreaming, but it was no use. They’d worn each other out and sleep came as inevitable as time.

* * *

Two weeks later she was on the bridge, her hands moving faster than anyone was accustomed to seeing, staring out at the Black and seeing not the stars in front of her but a different set of planets. Riddick stood behind her, his palms warm and reassuring on her shoulders. He was concerned, not worried, but it was unlike her to simply stare through someone and continue on as if they hadn’t spoken.

Finally, she sighed and leaned back, “Course has been charted. Dangerous waters. Here be dragons.” She looked up at her mate. “Furya’s defenses are…numerous.”

“Where…” He sat down in the pilot’s seat and brought up the course she’d charted with a curse of astonishment. “Blue Sun?”

“When he fought the night dwellers below the ringed planet and three suns he was not far from Furya,” River nodded. “We call it Prospero, for the way it seems to hide. Pretends it is Miranda’s moon, but strays from her orbit more than a moon should. Part of the orbit in sync with Miranda, part straying away. Magician’s tricks, sleight of hand and magic. Strange orbit, two satellite moons, active volcanos and rough seas.”

“Alliance don’t consider it habitable?” He looked at her curiously.

“Settlements have been tried… and they have all failed. Alliance labeled it a black rock.” She smiled, “Only Furyans have the stamina and stubbornness to survive Furya.”

“Damn,” Riddick smiled and took her hand. “How’d you find it? How’d you know?”

“Could not follow the path until she carried a Furyan below her heart,” River smiled, suddenly shy. “Furyan blood beats within her, leads her to their home.”

He nearly fell out of the chair in shock, stumbling to his knees and pressing his face to her belly, “You’re—”

“Carries your son,” She stroked her palm over his smooth scalp. “He will be born on Furya.”

Riddick looked up at her his eyes the dark silver of a vow. “Yeah, he will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Almost at the end. A little epilogue (and I mean little) next week and we’re finished. I hope you’ve been enjoying the ride.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> gao yang jong duh goo yang (Script- Motherless goat of all motherless goats)
> 
> bàng jiār (lover / partner)
> 
> gǒu tuǐ zi (dog's leg / fig. one who follows a villain / henchman / hired thug)
> 
> È yǒu 'èbào (evil has its retribution (idiom); to suffer the consequences of one's bad deeds / sow the wind and reap the whirlwind - Hosea 8:7)
> 
> zhì 'ài (most beloved)
> 
> Quote Sources:
> 
> Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead – Benjamin Franklin


	13. Epilogue

She did not enjoy labor pains. River forced herself to breathe evenly, through the pain, not against it and groaned. “Not yet,” Bella coached her. “Don’t push yet.”

“I’m not,” River growled in irritation and took another deep breath. At least they were finally on Furya.

It had taken them nearly eight months to manage it. Contrary to what the parliament wanted people to believe, Reavers were still around and they liked to hang about Miranda.

After two frustrating months of trying to sail around them without ending up a banquet Riddick had taken a page from Mal’s book and sent out a wave of his own. River and Jayne both knew where Mr. Universe’s base was. And they had plenty of captures of Reavers and their ships. Mr. Universe’s backup consoles might have been hard to get to by his standards (and Mal’s too), but to a determined Furyan it was child’s play. While he’d been working on that, River, Ruby and Lucy had decided to see what they could scrounge from the broken cortex equipment in the main space. The salvage had been surprisingly lucrative.

They’d deemed it a good idea to get the area cleaned up and stocked, readied with emergency supplies, guns, ammunition and armor. One never knew when a bolt hole would be needed. And Riddick had embraced paranoia and preparation for the worst (even more so) now that River was pregnant.

It had taken another frustrating three months for the Alliance to actually send their cruisers to deal with the Reavers. And there were still stragglers. The Alliance had actually instituted the old tradition of privateers in order to deal with the remains of the Reaver fleet. For a small fee a ship could apply for a privateer’s license and have guns added to the boat. The guns came with a monitoring cortex and cameras that would send waves back to the Alliance whenever they were used. The theory was that it would prevent the guns being used on ships other than Reavers.

For the most part it worked. Riddick had put in for one and after six weeks of floating around Miranda he’d cleared the skies enough that they could sail for Prospero, or as the _Liberty’s_ crew called it, Furya.

It hadn’t been easy. Reavers didn’t follow anything like normal rules of ship to ship combat. More than once Riddick had to execute some insane maneuvers of his own to avoid being rammed by a Reaver boat. He found it easier to fly while River, Jayne or Maddox shot the guns though in a pinch he could do both. Maddox hadn’t quite picked up all the weak points of Alliance style ships whereas River knew them all after a bit of study on the cortex. Maddox still found her higher kill count irksome, but he was learning and sooner or later he’d catch up.

Jayne had just laughed at them both, “Hey as long as the gorram Reavers go boom did it matter who made them explode?”

Riddick had been in agreement though he found their competition amusing, “The man makes a good point.”

The trick had been to separate one Reaver ship from the others. Attack one within sight of the Reaver ‘fleet’ and like bees they’d all swarm the attacker until the ship was overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Mal attacking a Reaver boat and drawing more to follow _Serenity_ hadn’t been a one off. Simon called it waving a red flag at a bull. More than one boat had been lost before people wised up and began to use herding and cutting techniques more suited to cattle or sheep, on the Reaver boats.

Catching them coming and going became easier as the Black around Blue Sun was seeded with small cortex satellites which recorded a ships information as they passed. River had come up with the plan during a wave with Kaylee and the two of them had thrown ideas around until they’d designed a working prototype. They’d raided several White Sun junk yards for the parts so the initial cost had been fairly minimal.

River and Kaylee figured they’d build in a few safeguards to protect ‘naughty’ ships like _Serenity_ and _Liberty_ before they sold the design to a private company. Simon had suggested they ask for stock and dividends in said company as part of their price so they’d have income as long as the company did well. That had led to many other conversations, so much so that Mal had complained about them tying up the cortex too much.

It had taken time, but while they’d been working on the problem of getting to Furya, Maddox had begun courting Ruby. Ty had fallen for one of Jayne’s cousins and settled on Kerry. He had a surprising aptitude for farming. Lucy had begun learning how to pilot the _Liberty_ , and he wasn’t half bad. He could definitely get them off the ground in a pinch and in a variety of conditions, which was all that mattered. Maddox and Ruby were also getting lessons, it being Riddick’s belief that the more people who could pilot the ship in an emergency the better. The younger couple were becoming a very capable team of pilot and co-pilot, no doubt aided by the fact that the two of them shared a bond similar to River’s and Riddick’s.

Jayne remained mostly the same, though he did try to curb his bad habits some, seeing as his little brother was around to imitate him. He did a thriving business in custom gun smithing in between _Liberty’s_ jobs. Between his smithing and Riddick’s shiv carving _Liberty_ never wanted for weapons. He’d even turned his hand to developing remote mines to send into Reaver space. Magnets would attach them to the hull of a Reaver boat and a remote would blow the mine once the non Reaver ship got safely away. Trouble was getting close to the Reavers and not getting targeted. They were still working out the kinks on that project. It had made for some spirited debates (and more complaints from Mal about the cortex use, again).

Learning that River was pregnant had inspired the two older females of their crew. Lizzie was a bit more than a medic now. Thanks to Simon’s lessons she had become a very good nurse and Bella a well-practiced midwife. There’d been some talk of landing on Ariel long enough for Lizzie and Bella to take some tests and get their certifications when they felt confident enough. Since Simon and River’s records were fairly clear he could send along letters of recommendation when the time came. His actual whereabouts, not to mention River’s, weren’t needful for the letters to be helpful. They actually got quite a few waves from their repeat clients asking about Bella’s availability and Lizzie’s too when they heard about her skills. Nothing buys more goodwill than being able to help with a medical emergency and as a result Riddick hadn’t minded a day or two delay because of the waves.

River still tended to act as the ships doctor, at least when she wasn’t the patient. Thankfully Simon was available for consultations, though she could do without his hovering. He was on his way, _Serenity_ sailing at hard burn, and on a wave so Lizzie and Bella could ask questions as needed.

Lizzie and Bella were both fulfilling their duties in the infirmary while she counted herself fortunate that the two of them had decided to further their education. Riddick was manfully holding her hand and not complaining when it seemed she was borrowing his Furyan strength and nearly breaking his bones as she squeezed it in her pain.

“I ought to kill you,” She growled up at him. “Getting us into this.”

“I love you too,” He just grinned down at her and that was even more irritating. He’d blurted out that he loved her after she’d started getting morning sickness (at midafternoon, night and morning). Romance...well her big _bàng jiār_ hadn’t quite gotten the hang of that. But no one was perfect.

No matter what she said he was still pleased as punch that they were together and their son was ready to be born. He had every confidence in her. He’d gone around smiling like he belonged in a bughouse for months after she’d told him that she was pregnant.

It would be unnerving if she didn’t find it so pleasing. His level of happiness amazed her.

Another labor pain hit like a fist to her belly and she wanted to kill him all over again. “Whose _diān dǎo_ , _chī shǎ tā mā de_ idea was this?”

“Shirah’s I think,” Riddick replied with a grin and kissed her forehead. “You’re doin’ great.”

“Next time,” River growled in a passable imitation of her _bàng jiār_ , “You can bear the children and I’ll shoot the _tiān shā de_ Reavers.”

“You did shoot the Reavers _zhì 'ài_ , but you’ve got a deal,” He agreed with that same gorram grin she wanted to smack off his face.

“Ughh… _yòng yí gè ā ěr dé wǎ kè cāo wǒ de liǎn_ ,” River groaned as her stomach rippled with the contraction. “Don’t you condescend to me you _gǒu cào de gǒu niáng yǎng de hún dàn_.”

“Okay, you’re just about ready to push,” Lizzie told her. “Rick, get behind her and help her brace.” She smirked, “Don’t worry River, you’ll still be able to break his hand and curse him.”

“ _Tài gāi sǐ le_ I will,” River agreed and took a deep breath as Riddick did as ordered. In the brief respite, he kissed her and she Read that he found this terrifying and wonderful, just like she did. “It’ll be all right Riddick. I love you.” She groaned, “But I’m going to kill you once our son is born. Ughh… _cào nǐ zǔ zōng shí bā dài_.”

Riddick kissed her again, “I’ll get you the shiv. Take a breath now… it’s time.”

Their son, thankfully, didn’t understand what his mother was talking about as he was born. Riddick, very wisely, didn’t mention it either.

* * *

Their son had a good set of lungs on him, River thought a bit wearily. And absolutely no qualms about using them whenever he was dissatisfied with something. She began to push herself out of the bed only to be pushed gently back down, “I’ve got him.” Riddick told her. “He just needs changing. Sleep.”

“Needs a name too,” She murmured. True, their son was only a day or so old but they’d been pretty busy and hadn’t settled on a name they both liked. They’d tossed plenty of ideas around but there’d been no firm decision made. At least they’d gotten the smaller bunk across from them set up as a nursery when he was old enough to sleep in a crib instead of his basinette. There’d been some rearranging of bunks but no one had minded since the remaining bunks were all pretty much the same size. They’d moved the larger bed into Lucy’s bunk and folded the smaller one against the wall under the crib. And if they needed it, there was still one bunk left, two if Maddox and Ruby got married or mated.

If it came to that, Riddick had pointed out reasonably, Lizzie and Bella could always take over the passenger dorms, combine two dorms into one so they were closer to the infirmary in an emergency. Some adjustments would be required for the sake of security but it was doable. _Liberty_ was a pretty big ship as mid class cargo haulers went. There was plenty of room.

“Hmm…” Riddick made a noise of agreement in his throat as he tried to keep from inhaling the stench of their child’s diaper.

Finally, it was done and the baby was settled back in his cradle, Riddick climbing into the bed beside her and gathering her close. “Been thinking on a name for him,” He told her. “Want something strong.”

“Must suit him,” River agreed. “He will be very smart, like his daddy.” Their son had a shock of black hair and creamy tan skin that blended her coloring with Riddick’s. His eyes were still the blue of a baby’s but they had her shape to them, though his mouth was all Riddick.

“Smart like his mama more like,” Riddick grinned. “So, what about…Braddock?”

“Means broad spreading oak,” River considered it. “Braddock Killian Riddick.”

“All right,” He kissed her, “First baby born on Furya…in at least three decades. If not more.”

“We must find others, give him more siblings, rebuild.” River murmured as he petted her hair and cuddled her close. “Still don’t know how all those ‘feelings’ of mine fit into Shirah’s plans for Furya.”

“Shirah…a spirit of Furya… she’d be thinking long term. So it might be that they don’t, not for generations to come,” Riddick wasn’t worried. “We’ve got Maddox and Ruby to help with the kids’ part of it,” Her lover was smiling, she could hear it in his voice. “I’m sure there are plenty more people out there, making friends with the monsters under the bed, talking to ghosts, meant for a Furyan and they don’t even know it.” He rubbed her back, confident and at peace. His love for her, contentment with their life together, surrounded her like his arms. At the base of it all, his thought, ‘So long as I have her, our children, nothing else matters’. “Don’t worry _zhì 'ài_.”

“We’ll find them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So…this is it folks. Originally this was much shorter and the first two to three pages were part of Chapter 11 but when I was editing that portion of the chapter seemed more like part of the Epilogue. I hope you all enjoyed it though. 
> 
> I’m currently working on another really Really long Riverick story but I have two short and one slightly less short stories to put up in the Chains series so I hope you’ll enjoy them.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> bàng jiār (lover / partner)
> 
> diān dǎo (To turn upside down / to reverse / back to front / confused / deranged / crazy)
> 
> chī shǎ (stupid / foolish)
> 
> tā mā de (fucking)
> 
> tiān shā de (goddamn)
> 
> zhì 'ài (most beloved)
> 
> yòng yí gè ā ěr dé wǎ kè cāo wǒ de liǎn (fuck me in the face with an aardvark)
> 
> gǒu cào de gǒu niáng yǎng de (dog-humping son of a bitch)
> 
> hún dàn (bastard)
> 
> Tài gāi sǐ le (too damned right)
> 
> cào nǐ zǔ zōng shí bā dài (fuck your ancestors to the eighteenth generation)
> 
> \-----
> 
> I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed  
> Get along with the voices inside of my head  
> You're trying to save me, stop holding your breath  
> And you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy  
> \--writers: A. Kleinstub, B. Fryzel, B. Rexha, J. Bellion, M. Athanasiou, Marshall Mathers, R.fenty


End file.
